New International Version NIV
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.
1
Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.
2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
2
Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.
3 If 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.
3
If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty [themselves]; And if a tree doth fall in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falleth, there it is.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
4
Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.
5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
5
As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, How -- bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole.
6 Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.
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In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike [are] good.
7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
7
Sweet also [is] the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.
8 However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.
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But, if man liveth many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! all that is coming [is] vanity.
9 You 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.
9
Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.
10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.
10
And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age [are] vanity!
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.