Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
1
Throw your bread on the surface of the water, because you will find it again after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what evil may happen on earth.
2
Divide what you have into seven parts, or even into eight, because you don't know what disaster may happen on earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
3
If the clouds are full of rain, they will let it pour down on the earth. If a tree falls north or south, the tree will remain where it fell.
4 He who observes the wind will not sow; and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
4
Whoever watches the wind will never plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will never harvest.
5 As you do not know how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
5
Just as you don't know how the breath of life enters the limbs of a child within its mother's womb, you also don't understand how God, who made everything, works.
6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
6
Plant your seed in the morning, and don't let your hands rest until evening. You don't know whether this field or that field will be profitable or whether both of them will [turn out] equally well.
7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun.
7
Light is sweet, and it is good for one's eyes to see the sun.
8 For if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.
8
Even though people may live for many years, they should enjoy every one of them. But they should also remember there will be many dark days. Everything that is coming is pointless.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
9
You young people should enjoy yourselves while you're young. You should let your hearts make you happy when you're young. Follow wherever your heart leads you and whatever your eyes see. But realize that God will make you give an account for all these things when he judges everyone.
10 Remove vexation from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
10
Get rid of what troubles you or wears down your body, because childhood and youth are pointless.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.