Ecclesiastes 11
Legacy Standard Bible
Cast Your Bread on the Waters
11 (A)Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you (B)will find it [a]after many days. 2 (C)Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what (D)calamity may occur on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they empty the rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it [b]lies. 4 He who [c]watches the wind will not sow, and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 Just as you do not (E)know [d]the path of the wind and (F)how bones are formed in the womb of the [e]pregnant woman, so you do not (G)know the work of God who works all things.
6 Sow your seed (H)in the morning and do not put your hands down in the evening, for you do not know whether [f]morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
7 The light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to (I)see the sun. 8 Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him (J)be glad in them all, and let him remember the (K)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be vanity.
9 Be glad, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be merry during the days of young manhood. And walk in the ways of your heart and in the (L)sights of your eyes. Yet know that (M)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10 So, remove vexation from your heart and put away (N)evil from your flesh because childhood and the prime of life are vanity.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 Lit in, within
- Ecclesiastes 11:3 Lit is
- Ecclesiastes 11:4 Lit keeps
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Many mss how the spirit enters the bones in the womb
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Lit full
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit this or that
Ecclesiastes 11
Christian Standard Bible
Invest in Life
11 Send your bread on the surface of the water,(A)
for after many days you may find it.
2 Give a portion to seven or even to eight,(B)
for you don’t know what disaster may happen on earth.
3 If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth;
whether a tree falls to the south or the north,
the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4 One who watches the wind will not sow,
and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 Just as you don’t know the path of the wind,
or how bones develop in[a] the womb of a pregnant woman,
so also you don’t know the work of God who makes everything.(C)
6 In the morning sow your seed,
and at evening do not let your hand rest,
because you don’t know which will succeed,
whether one or the other,
or if both of them will be equally good.
7 Light is sweet,
and it is pleasing for the eyes to see the sun.(D)
8 Indeed, if someone lives many years,
let him rejoice in them all,
and let him remember the days of darkness,(E) since they will be many.
All that comes is futile.
9 Rejoice, young person, while you are young,
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
And walk in the ways of your heart
and in the desire of your eyes;(F)
but know that for all of these things God will bring you to judgment.
10 Remove sorrow from your heart,
and put away pain from your flesh,(G)
because youth and the prime of life are fleeting.
Footnotes
- 11:5 Or know how the life-breath comes to the bones in
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