Ecclesiastes 11
New American 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)misfortune may occur on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they pour out rain on the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it [b]lies. 4 One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest. 5 Just as you do not (E)know the path of the [c]wind, and (F)how bones are formed in the womb of the [d]pregnant woman, so you do not (G)know the activity of God who makes everything.
6 Sow your seed (H)in the morning and do not [e]be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether [f]one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
7 The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to (I)see the sun. 8 Indeed, if a person lives many years, let him (J)rejoice in them all; but let him remember the (K)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.
9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the [g]impulses of your heart and the [h](L)desires of your eyes. Yet know that (M)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10 So remove [i]sorrow from your heart and keep [j](N)pain away from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are [k]fleeting.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 Lit in, within
- Ecclesiastes 11:3 Lit is
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or with many mss spirit into the bones in the womb
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Lit full
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit let down your hand
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit this or that
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit ways
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit sights
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Or anger
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit evil
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit futility
Ecclesiastes 11
International Standard Version
Preparing for the Future
11 Spread your bread on the water—
after a while you will find it.
2 Apportion what you have into seven, or even eight parts,
because you don’t know what disaster might befall the land.
3 If the clouds are full of rain,
they will pour out on the earth;
if a tree falls toward the south or the north,
wherever it falls, there it will lay.
4 Whoever keeps staring at the wind won’t sow;
whoever daydreams[a] won’t reap.
5 Just as you do not understand the way of the spirit
in the[b] womb of a pregnant mother,
so also you do not know
what God is doing in everything he makes.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and don’t stop working[c] until evening,
since you don’t know which of your endeavors will do well,
whether this one or that,
or even if both will do equally well.
Preparing for Old Age
7 How sweet is the daylight, and how pleasant it is for someone’s eyes to behold the sunshine! 8 Even if a person lives many years, let him enjoy them all, recalling that there will be many days of darkness to come—all of which are pointless. 9 So enjoy yourself in your youth, young man, and be encouraged during your younger days. Live as you like, consistent with your world view, but keep in mind that God will bring you to account for everything. 10 Banish sorrow from your heart, and evil from your body, since both childhood and the prime of life[d] are pointless.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:4 Lit. who stares at clouds
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Lit. the bones in the
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit. then give your hand no rest
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit. dark hair
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