Ecclesiastes 11-12

Ecclesiastes 11

¹Put out your bread on the face of the waters; for after a long time it will come back to you again.

²Give a part to seven or even to eight, because you have no knowledge of the evil which will be on the earth.

³If the clouds are full of rain, they send it down on the earth; and if a tree comes down to the south, or the north, in whatever place it comes down, there it will be.

⁴He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.

⁵As you have no knowledge of the way of the wind, or of the growth of the bones in the body of her who is with child, even so you have no knowledge of the works of God who has made all.

⁶In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that — or if the two will be equally good.

⁷Truly the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

⁸But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

⁹Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

¹⁰So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.

Ecclesiastes 12

¹Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;

²While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;

³In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see;

⁴When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;

⁵And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets;

⁶Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;

⁷And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.

⁸All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.

⁹And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.

¹⁰The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.

¹¹The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.

¹²And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.

¹³This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.

¹⁴God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.