Ecclesiastes 11 WEB
Summary: The Preacher urges bold generosity and diversified effort despite uncertainty: "cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days" (v. 1), and give a portion to seven or even eight ventures, since one cannot know what disaster may come. Because the ways of God — like the path of the wind or the growth of bones in a pregnant womb — are unknowable, he counsels sowing seed morning and evening rather than watching the wind and never reaping. The chapter turns to address the young directly, urging them to let their heart cheer them and follow the desires of their eyes while remembering that God will bring them to judgment, and to put away vexation and pain, "for youth and the dawn of life are vanity" (v. 10).
1Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.
2Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.
3If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.
4He who observes the wind won’t sow; and he who regards the clouds won’t reap.
5As 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.
6In 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.
7Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun.
8Yes, 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.
9Rejoice, 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 judgment.
10Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
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