Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Invest your money in foreign trade, and one of these days you will make a profit.
1
Cast your bread on the waters; For you shall find it after many days.
2 Put your investments in several places - many places even - because you never know what kind of bad luck you are going to have in this world.
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Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; For you don't know what evil will be on the earth.
3 No matter which direction a tree falls, it will lie where it fell. When the clouds are full, it rains.
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If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; And if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, In the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.
4 If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything.
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He who observes the wind won't sow; And he who regards the clouds won't reap.
5 God made everything, and you can no more understand what he does than you understand how new life begins in the womb of a pregnant woman.
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As you don't know what is the way of the wind, Nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; Even so you don't know the work of God who does all.
6 Do your planting in the morning and in the evening, too. You never know whether it will all grow well or whether one planting will do better than the other.
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In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening don't withhold your hand; For you don't know which will prosper, whether this or that, Or whether they both will be equally good.
7 It is good to be able to enjoy the pleasant light of day.
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Truly the light is sweet, And a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun.
8 Be grateful for every year you live. No matter how long you live, remember that you will be dead much longer. There is nothing at all to look forward to.
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Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; But let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.
9 Young people, enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do, and follow your heart's desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do.
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Rejoice, young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, And walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
10 Don't let anything worry you or cause you pain. You aren't going to be young very long.
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Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh; For youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.