Ecclesiastes 11

Do what is wise

1 Freely give your things to other people.

If you do that, one day you will receive your things back again.

2 Share your things with several other people.

You do not know when trouble will come.

Then those people can help you.

3 When clouds are full of water,

rain will fall on the earth.

If a tree falls to the ground,

it will stay there, in the same place.

4 A farmer who waits for the right wind

will never plant any seeds.

If he is always looking at the clouds,

he will never bring in his crops.

5 We do not know the path that the wind blows along.

Nor do we know how a baby's body grows

inside a pregnant woman.

So nobody can explain the things that God does.

He is the one who has made everything.

6 Plant your seeds in the morning,

and continue to work until the evening.

You do not know which seeds will become strong plants.

Perhaps only some of them will grow.

Perhaps they will all grow well.

7 Light makes people happy.

It is good to see the sun rise in the morning.

8 People may live for many years,

and they should happily enjoy every day.

But they should remember that their lives will end in death.

There will be many days of trouble ahead.

We cannot understand everything that will happen to us in the future.

9 Young people, enjoy your life while you are young.

Do the things that you think are good.

Enjoy the things that you see.

But remember that God will judge you

for all the things that you do.

10 Do not worry about things.

Do not let your body cause you to have pain.

You will not be young and strong for very long.

We all become old too quickly.