11 当慷慨施舍[a]
因为日后必有收获。
当把你的资财分给多人,
因为你不知道日后会有什么灾难临到世上。
云中满了水,就会下雨。
树不论倒向南或倒向北,
倒在哪里就躺在哪里。
你若等待完美的天气,
必无法撒种,无法收割。

正如你不知道风的路线,不知道骨骼在母胎中如何形成,你也无法了解创造万物之上帝的作为。 你要早晚不停地撒种,因为你不知道什么时候撒的种子会发芽生长,或许所撒的都会带来收获。 光真美好,能够看见阳光真好! 人一生不论活多久,都要活得快乐,但不要忘记死后有许多黑暗的日子。将来的一切都是虚空。 年轻人啊,在年轻时要快乐,要在青春岁月里使自己的心欢畅。心里想做什么就去做,眼睛想看什么就去看。然而,要切记:上帝必照你所行的一切审判你。 10 所以,你要抛开心中的烦恼和肉体的痛苦,因为青春年华转瞬即逝。

Footnotes

  1. 11:1 当慷慨施舍”或译“当把你的资财投入海外贸易”。

11 Cast your bread on the surface of the water. Then, after many days you will find it again.[a]

Put part of your investment into seven or even into eight ventures, for you do not know what disaster might come upon the land.

If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, wherever it falls, there it will lie.

Whoever keeps watching the wind will never sow, and anyone who keeps looking at the clouds will never reap.

Just as you do not know the path of the wind,[b] or how bones form in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.

In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, for you do not know which effort will succeed, this one or that, or if both of them will be equally good.

Light is sweet, and it is good for eyes to see the sun.

Yes, even if a man lives many years, in all of them let him find joy, but let him keep in mind the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come is vapor.

Advice to the Young

Young man, be happy while you are a child, and let your heart make you glad during the days of your youth. Walk down the roads on which your heart leads you and on the way your eyes see—but know that for all these, God will bring you into judgment.

10 Put frustration out of your mind, and ignore the troubles of your body, because youth and the dawn of life are vapor.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 11:1 The translation is literal. The three main applications of the principle are to international commerce, charity, and brewing beer. (Soaking bread in water was their method of brewing.) In all three cases, the point of the proverb is the same: You have to invest something to make a profit.
  2. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or the way of the spirit
  3. Ecclesiastes 11:10 Or because both youth and the coming darkness are vapor

11 Echa tu pan sobre las aguas,

Que después de[a] muchos días lo hallarás(A).
Reparte tu porción con siete, o aun con ocho(B),
Porque no sabes qué mal puede venir sobre la tierra(C).
Si las nubes están llenas,
Derraman lluvia sobre la tierra;
Y caiga el árbol al sur o al norte,
Donde cae el árbol allí se queda.
El que observa el viento no siembra,
Y el que mira las nubes no siega.
Como no sabes cuál es el camino del viento(D),
O cómo[b] se forman[c] los huesos en el vientre de la mujer encinta[d](E),
Tampoco conoces la obra de Dios(F) que hace todas las cosas.
De mañana siembra tu semilla
Y a la tarde no des reposo a tu mano,
Porque no sabes si esto o aquello prosperará,
O si ambas cosas serán igualmente buenas(G).

Consejos a la juventud

¶Agradable es la luz,
Y bueno para los ojos ver el sol(H).
Ciertamente, si un hombre vive muchos años,
Que en todos ellos se regocije(I),
Pero recuerde que los días de tinieblas(J) serán muchos.
Todo lo por venir es vanidad.
Alégrate, joven, en tu juventud,
Y tome placer tu corazón en los días de tu juventud.
Sigue los impulsos[e] de tu corazón y el gusto de[f] tus ojos(K);
Pero debes saber que por todas estas cosas, Dios te traerá a juicio(L).
10 Por tanto, aparta de tu corazón la congoja
Y aleja el sufrimiento[g] de tu cuerpo[h](M),
Porque la juventud y la primavera de la vida son vanidad.

Footnotes

  1. 11:1 Lit. en o dentro de.
  2. 11:5 Muchos mss. dicen: en.
  3. 11:5 Otra posible lectura es: Como no sabes por dónde entra el espíritu a.
  4. 11:5 Lit. llena.
  5. 11:9 Lit. caminos.
  6. 11:9 Lit. lo que ven.
  7. 11:10 Lit. mal.
  8. 11:10 Lit. carne.

Invest in Many Ventures

11 Ship(A) your grain across the sea;
    after many days you may receive a return.(B)
Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
    you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

If clouds are full of water,
    they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

As you do not know the path of the wind,(C)
    or how the body is formed[a] in a mother’s womb,(D)
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things.

Sow your seed in the morning,
    and at evening let your hands not be idle,(E)
for you do not know which will succeed,
    whether this or that,
    or whether both will do equally well.

Remember Your Creator While Young

Light is sweet,
    and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.(F)
However many years anyone may live,
    let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember(G) the days of darkness,
    for there will be many.
    Everything to come is meaningless.

You who are young, be happy while you are young,
    and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
    and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
    God will bring you into judgment.(H)
10 So then, banish anxiety(I) from your heart
    and cast off the troubles of your body,
    for youth and vigor are meaningless.(J)

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or know how life (or the spirit) / enters the body being formed