Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.

把你的糧食拋到水面，多日後你必有所獲。

2 Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.

將你的家產分作七分八分，因為你不知道世上要發生什麼災禍。

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls towards the south, or towards the north, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.

雲一滿了，雨就傾住於地。樹倒向南或倒向北，一倒在那裏，就躺在那裏。

4 He who observes the wind won’t sow; and he who regards the clouds won’t reap.

觀察風向的，必不撒種；研究雲象的，必不收割，

5 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.

就如你不知道生氣如何進入孕婦胎中的骨骼裏，同樣你也不知道天主所創造的一切化工。

6 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.

你早上撒種，晚上也不要住手，因為你不知道：是早上撒的，或是晚上撒的長的好，或是兩種都同樣好。

7 Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun.

光明實在可愛，看見太陽實在令眼舒暢。

8 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.

人無論活了多大年紀，儘可享受各種福樂；但他應想到黑暗的日子還多，所發生的事，盡屬虛幻。

9 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 judgement.

少年人，在你青春時應歡樂；在你少壯的時日，應心神愉快；隨你心所欲，你眼所悅的去行，但應知道：天主必要就你所行的一切審判你。

10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

掃除你心中的煩惱，驅除你身上的痛苦，因為青春和少年都是虛幻。