Ecclesiastes 11

1 Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.

Send your bread out on the surface of the water, and many days later you will find it again.

2 Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.

Share what you own with seven or eight people, for you never know what disaster could happen.

3 If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty [themselves]; And if a tree doth fall in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falleth, there it is.

When the clouds are full they pour rain down upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the north or to the south, it stays where it fell.

4 Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.

The farmer who pays attention to the direction of the wind knows when not to sow, and by watching the clouds knows when not to reap.

5 As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, How — bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole.

Just as you don't know how the breath of life comes to the child in its mother's womb, so you can't understand the work of God, the Creator of everything.

6 In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike [are] good.

In the morning, sow your seed. In the evening, don't stop. For you have no way of knowing which crop will grow well—one may be profitable, or the other—or maybe both.

7 Sweet also [is] the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.

How sweet it is to live in the light, to see the sun rise on another day.

8 But, if man liveth many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! all that is coming [is] vanity.

May you live for many years, and may you enjoy them all. But remember there will many days of darkness, and all that is to come is uncertain.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.

Young people, enjoy your youth! Be happy with what's good! While you're young, let your mind guide your life, and do as you think best. But remember that God will judge you for all your thoughts and actions.

10 And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age [are] vanity!

So don't let your mind worry, and avoid things that hurt your body. Even so, despite youth and enthusiasm, life is still so hard to understand!