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11 Send thy bread [up]on waters passing forth, for after many times thou shalt find it. (Send thy bread upon the water, and after a time, thou shalt receive it back, and more along with it.)

Give thou (thy) parts (to) seven, and also (to) eight, (that is, do not put all thy eggs in one basket); for thou knowest not, what evil shall come [up]on (the) earth.

If clouds be filled, they shall shed out rain on the earth; if a tree falleth down to the south, either to the north, in whatever place it falleth down, there it shall be.

He that espieth the wind, soweth not; and he that beholdeth the clouds, shall never reap. (He who looketh for the wind, soweth not; and he who watcheth the clouds, shall never reap, or bring in the harvest.)

As thou knowest not, which is the way of the spirit, and by what reason bones be joined together in the womb of a woman with child, so thou knowest not the works of God, which is maker of all things (who is the Maker of all things).

Early sow thy seed, and thine hand cease not in the eventide; for thou knowest not, what shall come forth more, this either that; and if ever either come forth together, it shall be the better. (Sow thy seed early, and do not stop thy work in the evening/and do not stop thy work until the evening; for thou knowest not, what shall come forth more, this or that; or if both will come forth together, and it shall be the better.)

The light is sweet, and delightable to the eyes to see the sun. (The light is sweet, and it is delightful, or pleasant, for thine eyes to see the sun.)

If a man liveth many years, and is glad in all these, he oughteth to have mind of [the] dark time, and of (those) many days (yet to come); and when those shall come, [the] things passed (away) shall be reproved of vanity. (If a person liveth many years, and is happy in all of them, he still ought to remember the dark time, and the many days yet to come; and when they do come, the things passed away shall be rebuked as but empty and futile.)

Therefore, thou young man, be glad in thy youth, and thine heart be in goodness in the days of thy youth, and go thou in the ways of thine heart, and in the beholding of thine eyes; and know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee into doom. (And so, O young man, be happy in thy youth, and let thy heart be in goodness in the days of thy youth, and go thou in the ways of thy heart, and in the beholding of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee to the judgement.)

10 Do thou away ire from thine heart, and remove thou malice from thy flesh; for why youth and lust be vain things, or vanity. (Do thou away anger from thy heart, and remove thou malice from thy flesh; because youth and lust be but empty and futile.)

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