11 Lanza tu pan sobre el agua;
    después de algún tiempo volverás a encontrarlo.
Comparte lo que tienes entre siete, y aun entre ocho,
    pues no sabes qué calamidad pueda venir sobre la tierra.

Cuando las nubes están cargadas,
    derraman su lluvia sobre la tierra.
Si el árbol cae hacia el sur,
    o cae hacia el norte, donde cae allí se queda.
Quien vigila al viento no siembra;
    quien contempla las nubes no cosecha.

Así como no sabes por dónde va el viento
    ni cómo se forma el niño en el vientre de la madre,
tampoco entiendes la obra de Dios,
    el Creador de todas las cosas.

Siembra tu semilla en la mañana
    y no te des reposo por la tarde,
pues nunca sabes cuál siembra saldrá mejor,
    si esta o aquella,
    o si ambas serán igualmente buenas.
Grata es la luz, y
    ¡qué bueno que los ojos disfruten del sol!
Mas si el hombre vive muchos años,
    y todos ellos los disfruta,
debe recordar que los días tenebrosos
    serán muchos
    y que lo venidero será vanidad.

Acuérdate de tu Creador

Alégrate, joven, en tu juventud;
    deja que tu corazón disfrute de la adolescencia.
Sigue los impulsos de tu corazón
    y responde al estímulo de tus ojos,
pero toma en cuenta que Dios
    te juzgará por todo esto.
10 Aleja de tu corazón el enojo,
    aparta de tu cuerpo la maldad,
    porque juventud y vigor son pasajeros.

Do what is wise

11 Freely give your things to other people.
If you do that, one day you will receive your things back again.
Share your things with several other people.
You do not know when trouble will come.
    Then those people can help you.
When clouds are full of water,
    rain will fall on the earth.
If a tree falls to the ground,
    it will stay there, in the same place.
A farmer who waits for the right wind
    will never plant any seeds.
If he is always looking at the clouds,
    he will never bring in his crops.
We do not know the path that the wind blows along.
Nor do we know how a baby's body grows
    inside a pregnant woman.
So nobody can explain the things that God does.
    He is the one who has made everything.
Plant your seeds in the morning,
    and continue to work until the evening.
You do not know which seeds will become strong plants.
    Perhaps only some of them will grow.
    Perhaps they will all grow well.

Remember God while you are young

Light makes people happy.
    It is good to see the sun rise in the morning.
People may live for many years,
    and they should happily enjoy every day.
But they should remember that their lives will end in death.
    There will be many days of trouble ahead.
We cannot understand everything that will happen to us in the future.

Young people, enjoy your life while you are young.
    Do the things that you think are good.
    Enjoy the things that you see.
But remember that God will judge you
    for all the things that you do.
10 Do not worry about things.
    Do not let your body cause you to have pain.
You will not be young and strong for very long.
    We all become old too quickly.

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 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.