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Listen to Ecclesiastes 11
Cast Your Bread upon the Waters
11(A)Cast your bread upon the waters,
(B)for you will find it after many days.
2(C)Give a portion to (D)seven, or even to eight,
(E)for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
3If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth,
and if a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4He who observes the wind will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
5As you do not know the way (F)the spirit comes to (G)the bones in the womb[a] of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
6In the morning sow your seed, and at evening (H)withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
7Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to (I)see the sun.
8So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember (J)that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is (K)vanity.[b]
9(L)Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. (M)Walk in the ways of your heart and (N)the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things (O)God will bring you into judgment.
10Remove vexation from your heart, and (P)put away pain[c] from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Targum; most Hebrew manuscripts As you do not know the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verse 10 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Or evil
Cross references
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 : [Isa. 32:20]
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 : [Deut. 15:10; Prov. 19:17; Matt. 10:42; Luke 14:14; 2 Cor. 9:8; Gal. 6:9, 10; Heb. 6:10]
- Ecclesiastes 11:2 : [Ps. 112:9; Matt. 5:42; Luke 6:30; 1 Tim. 6:18, 19]
- Ecclesiastes 11:2 : Mic. 5:5; See Job 5:19; Prov. 6:16
- Ecclesiastes 11:2 : [Luke 16:9; Eph. 5:16]
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 : [ch. 1:6; John 3:8]
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 : See Ps. 139:13-16
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 : ch. 7:18
- Ecclesiastes 11:7 : ch. 6:5; 7:11
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 : [ch. 12:1, 2]
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 : ch. 2:23; See ch. 1:2
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 : [ch. 2:10; 9:7]
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 : [Num. 15:39; Job 31:7]
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 : ch. 6:9
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 : See ch. 12:14
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 : 2 Cor. 7:1; 2 Tim. 2:22
Cast Your Bread on the Waters
11(A)Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you (B)will find it [a]after many days. 2(C)Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what (D)misfortune may occur on the earth. 3If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it [b]lies. 4He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5Just as you do not (E)know [c]the path of the wind and (F)how bones are formed in the womb of the [d]pregnant woman, so you do not (G)know the activity of God who makes all things.
6Sow your seed (H)in the morning and do not [e]be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether [f]morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.
7The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to (I)see the sun. 8Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him (J)rejoice in them all, and let him remember the (K)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.
9Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the [g]impulses of your heart and the [h](L)desires of your eyes. Yet know that (M)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away [i](N)pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 Lit in, within
- Ecclesiastes 11:3 Lit is
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or with many mss how the spirit enters the bones in the womb
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Lit full
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit let down your hand
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 Lit this or that
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit ways
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit sights
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit evil
Cross references
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 : Deut 15:10; Prov 19:17; Matt 10:42; Gal 6:9; Heb 6:10
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 : Deut 15:10; Prov 19:17; Matt 10:42; Gal 6:9; Heb 6:10
- Ecclesiastes 11:2 : Ps 112:9; Matt 5:42; Luke 6:30; 1 Tim 6:18, 19
- Ecclesiastes 11:2 : Eccl 11:8; 12:1
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 : John 3:8
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 : Ps 139:13-16
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 : Eccl 1:13; 3:10, 11; 8:17
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 : Eccl 9:10
- Ecclesiastes 11:7 : Eccl 6:5; 7:11
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 : Eccl 9:7
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 : Eccl 12:1
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 : Num 15:39; Job 31:7; Eccl 2:10
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 : Eccl 3:17; 12:14; Rom 14:10
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 : 2 Cor 7:1; 2 Tim 2:22
Invest in Many Ventures
11Ship(A) your grain across the sea;
after many days you may receive a return.(B)
2Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
3If 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.
4Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
5As 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.
6Sow 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
7Light is sweet,
and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.(F)
8However 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.
9You 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)
10So then, banish anxiety(I) from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless.(J)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Or know how life (or the spirit) / enters the body being formed
Cross references
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 : ver 6; Isa 32:20; Hos 10:12
- Ecclesiastes 11:1 : S Dt 24:19
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 : Jn 3:8-10
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 : Ps 139:14-16
- Ecclesiastes 11:6 : S Ecc 9:10
- Ecclesiastes 11:7 : Ecc 7:11
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 : Ecc 12:1
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 : S Job 19:29; S Ecc 2:24; S 3:17
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 : Ps 94:19
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 : S Ecc 2:24
11Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
8But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
9Rejoice, 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.
10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
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