The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Send your resources out over the seas; eventually you will reap a return.
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Put out your bread on the face of the waters; for after a long time it will come back to you again.
2 Divide your merchandise into seven or eight shares, since you don't know what disasters may come on the earth.
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Give a part to seven or even to eight, because you have no knowledge of the evil which will be on the earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth. Whether a tree falls toward the north or the south, the place where the tree falls is where it stays.
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If 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.
4 He who keeps watching the wind will never sow; he who keeps looking at the clouds will never reap.
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He 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.
5 Just as you don't know the way of the wind or how bones grow in a pregnant woman's womb, so you don't know the work of God, the maker of everything.
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As 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.
6 In the morning, sow your seed; and don't slack off until evening; for you don't know which sowing will succeed, this, or that, or if both will do well.
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In 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.
7 Then the light will be sweet, and it will be a pleasure to see the sun. 1086
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Truly the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.
8 For if a person lives many years, let him take joy in them all; yet remembering that there will be many days of darkness, that all to come is futile.
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But 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.
9 Young person, if you spend your youth only having fun, if you use your early years just to entertain yourself, if you follow your heart as you live your life, and let your eyes be your guide; understand that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
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Have 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.
10 Therefore, remove anger from your heart; and keep from harming your body; for neither adolescence nor youth has any lasting value.
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So put away trouble from your heart, and sorrow from your flesh; because the early years and the best years are to no purpose.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.