1 Send your bread upon the waters, for in many days you will find it again.

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

2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the earth.

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

3 When the clouds are full, they pour down rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, wherever it falls, there it will lie.

If 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.

4 Whoever watches the wind will not sow, and whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

5 Just as you do not know the path of the wind or how bones are formed in a pregnant woman's womb, so you cannot understand the workings of God who makes everything.

As 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.

6 Sow your seed in the morning and do not withhold your hand in the evening, for you do not know which will prosper—whether this or that, or if both will equally thrive.

In 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.

7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

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

8 For if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in all of them, but let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is meaningless.

But 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.

9 Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart be glad in the days of your prime. Follow the ways of your heart and the sights 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 Remove vexation from your heart and put away distress from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are fleeting.

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