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世事难测宜忠心勤劳

11 要把你的粮食撒在水面上,因为日久你必得回。 你要分为七份,或分为八份,因为你不知道将来会有甚么灾祸在地上发生。 云若充满水气,雨就倾倒在地上;树无论向南倒,或向北倒,倒在哪里,就横在哪里。 看风的,不撒种;观云的,不收割。 你不晓得风的路向,不知道骨头如何在孕妇胎中形成,照样,创造万物之 神的作为,你也不得而知。 早晨要撒你的种,直到黄昏也不要歇手;因为你不知道哪一样种得成,是早撒的,或晚撒的,或两者都一样好。

当趁壮年记念主

光是美好的,眼睛得见天日,也是好的。 人无论多长寿,都当乐在其中,不过他要想到黑暗的日子,因为这些日子将会很多;要来的,都是虚空的。

年轻人哪!你在幼年时要快乐,在壮年的日子,要使你的心欢畅;顺着你心所愿的,眼所见的去行。不过,你要知道,为了这一切事, 神必审问你。 10 所以你当除掉心中的烦恼,除去肉体的疾苦,因为无论是幼年或是壮年,都是虚空的。

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

11 Cast your bread on the waters;

    for you shall find it after many days.
Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight;
    for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.
If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth;
    and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north,
    in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.
He who observes the wind won’t sow;
    and he who regards the clouds won’t reap.
As you don’t know what is the way of the wind,
    nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child;
    even so you don’t know the work of God who does all.
In the morning sow your seed,
    and in the evening don’t withhold your hand;
    for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that,
    or whether they both will be equally good.
Truly the light is sweet,
    and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun.
Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all;
    but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many.
    All that comes is vanity.
Rejoice, young man, in your youth,
    and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth,
    and walk in the ways of your heart,
    and in the sight of your eyes;
    but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,
    and put away evil from your flesh;
    for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

11 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.