1 C ast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.

¶ Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.

2 G ive a portion to seven, yes, even to eight, for you know not what evil may come upon the earth.

Give a portion to seven and even to eight, for thou dost not know what evil shall come upon the earth.

3 I f the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

If the clouds are full of rain, they shall empty themselves upon the earth; and if the tree falls toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall remain.

4 H e who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

He that observes the wind shall not sow, and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.

5 A s you know not what is the way of the wind, or how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you know not the work of God, Who does all.

As thou dost not know what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou dost not know the works of God who makes all.

6 I n the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hands, for you know not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, either this or that or whether they both shall be equally good.

7 T ruly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

¶ Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun,

8 Y es, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is vanity (emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility)!

but if a man lives many years and rejoices in them all; yet if afterwards he remembers the days of darkness, for they shall be many, he shall say that everything that shall have happened to him is vanity.

9 R ejoice, O young man, in your adolescence, 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.

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 T herefore remove sorrow and vexation from your heart and mind and put away evil from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity.