Ecclesiastes 11

Do what is wise

1 Give money to anybody who needs it.

At some future time, you may be poor and other people will then give money to you.

2 You do not know when you will need help.

So, if seven or eight people need money, give it to them.

3 When clouds are full of water, there will be rain on the earth.

If there is too much wind, a tree will fall. Wherever the tree falls, there it will lie.

4 If you are always thinking about the wind, you will not plant seeds.

If you are always watching the clouds, you will never pick any plants.

5 Before a baby is born, it grows inside its mother.

Nobody can explain how that happens.

Nobody can explain the things that God does.

So do not be surprised about that.

Remember that God made the world.

And he made everything that is in the world.

6 Plant your seeds early in the morning.

You should plant seeds all day, until the evening.

Some of the seeds may grow.

Perhaps all the seeds will grow.

Remember God while you are young

7 Light is good.

So people are happy when they see the sun.

8 You should enjoy the things that you do each day.

You should do that even if you live to a very old age.

You may live for many years but, in the end, you will die.

And you will be dead for a very long time.

There is nothing that means anything after that.

9 Enjoy your life while you are young.

Do the things that you want to do.

The things that you see will give you pleasure, too.

But God watches the things that you do. You should remember that.

He will want to know why you did those things.

10 Do not cause your thoughts to have trouble.

And do not cause your body to have pain.

You will not always be young.

We all become old too quickly.