Ecclesiastes 11 - Contemporary English Version (CEV)

It Pays To Work Hard

11 Be generous, and someday
you will be rewarded.[a]
2 Share what you have
with seven or eight others,
because you never know
when disaster may strike.
3 Rain clouds always bring rain;
trees always stay
wherever they fall.
4 If you worry about the weather
and don't plant seeds,
you won't harvest a crop.

5 No one can explain how a baby breathes before it is born.[b] So how can anyone explain what God does? After all, God created everything.

6 Plant your seeds early in the morning and keep working in the field until dark. Who knows? Your work might pay off, and your seeds might produce.

Youth and Old Age

7 Nothing on earth is more beautiful than the morning sun. 8 Even if you have a very long life, you should try to enjoy each day, because darkness will come and will last a long time. Nothing makes sense.[c]

9 Be cheerful and enjoy life while you are young! Do what you want and find pleasure in what you see. But don't forget that God will judge you for everything you do.

10 Rid yourself of all worry and pain, because the wonderful moments of youth quickly disappear.

Footnotes

  1. 11.1 Be generous … rewarded: Or “Don't be afraid to invest. Someday it will pay off.”
  2. 11.5 how … born: Or “what makes the wind blow or how a baby grows inside its mother.”
  3. 11.8 Nothing makes sense: Or “There's nothing to look forward to!”

You Might Also Like:

Ecclesiastes 11 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

11 Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it. 2 Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth. 3 If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty [themselves]; And if a tree doth fall i...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

11 Send thy bread [up]on waters passing forth, for after many times thou shalt find it. (Send thy bread upon the water, and after a time, thou shalt receive it back, and more along with it.) 2 Give thou (thy) parts (to) seven, and also (to) eight, (that is, do not put all thy eggs in one basket); fo...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - World English Bible (WEB)

11 Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.2 Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.3 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...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - The Voice (VOICE)

11 Teacher: Don’t be afraid to release your bread upon the waters, for in due time you will find it.2 Divide your portion—put seven here, maybe eight there— for you can never be sure when or where disaster will strike.3 When the clouds are dark and heavy with rain, showers will fall upon the earth...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Wisdom of the Long View11 Cast your bread upon the waters,for after many days you will find it.2 Give portions to seven, or even to eight,for you do not know what disaster may happen upon the earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they empty out rain upon the earth.Whether a tree falls to south or north, ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Value of Diligence11 Cast your bread upon the waters,for you will find it after many days.2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what evil 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 no...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Value of Diligence11 Send out your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will get it back.(A)2 Divide your means seven ways, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may happen on earth.(B)3 When clouds are full, they empty rain on the earth;whether a tree falls to the south or ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Uncertainties of Life11 Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.[a]2 But divide your investments among many places,[b] for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. 3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays w...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Ways of a Wise Man11 Throw your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. 2 Share what you have with seven, or even with eight, for you do not know what trouble may come on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth. And if a tree falls to the sou...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Value of Diligence11 Cast your bread (A)upon the waters,(B)For you will find it after many days.2 (C)Give a serving (D)to seven, and also to eight,(E)For you do not know what evil will be on the earth. 3 If the clouds are full of rain,They empty themselves upon the earth;And if a tree falls to t...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Invest in many ventures11 Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. 3 If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth.Whether a tree falls to the south or to the n...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New International Version (NIV)

Invest in Many Ventures11 Ship(A) your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.(B)2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. 3 If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth.Whether a tree falls to the south or to...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Do Many Things to Succeed11 Sell your grain in the market overseas. After a while you might earn something from it.2 Try to succeed by doing many things. After all, you don’t know what great trouble might come on the land. 3 Clouds that are full of water pour rain down on the earth.A tree might fall...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 11 - New English Translation (NET)

Ignorance of the Future Demands Diligence in the Present11 Send[a] your grain[b] overseas,[c]for after many days you will get a return.[d]2 Divide your merchandise[e] among seven or even eight[f] investments,[g]for you do not know[h] what calamity[i] may happen on earth.3 If the clouds are full of r...
Read More