1 Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. 8 Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Ecclesiastes · American Standard Version (1901)
Ecclesiastes 11 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (10)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Ecclesiastes 11:6; Proverbs 19:17; Matthew 10:42; Hebrews 6:10; 2 Corinthians 9:6
- 2 1 Timothy 6:18–19; Job 5:19; Psalm 112:9; Luke 6:30–35; Proverbs 6:16
- 3 Psalm 65:9–13; Isaiah 55:10–11; 1 John 3:17; Luke 13:7; 1 Kings 18:45
- 4 Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 3:27; Proverbs 22:13
- 5 John 3:8; Psalm 92:5; Ecclesiastes 8:17; Romans 11:33; Isaiah 40:28
- 6 2 Corinthians 9:10–11; Isaiah 55:10; Haggai 1:6–11; Hosea 10:12; 2 Corinthians 9:6
- 7 Ecclesiastes 7:11; Matthew 5:45; Proverbs 15:30; Psalm 84:11; Job 33:30
- 8 John 12:35; Deuteronomy 32:29; Ecclesiastes 7:14; Joel 2:2; Job 14:10
- 9 Ecclesiastes 12:14; 1 John 2:15–16; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Ecclesiastes 3:17; Lamentations 3:27
- 10 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Timothy 2:22; Ecclesiastes 1:2; Ecclesiastes 1:14; Ecclesiastes 12:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
This coming of the Lord, and the end of the world, were known to the Preacher; who says, Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and the rest; Therefore remove anger from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh;...and remember thy Creator...or ever the evil days come,....or ever the sun, and the light, and the moon, and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
Further, observe that the number seven denotes all the present time, as the most wise Solomon says, to give a portion to seven and also to eight.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 9 (1899)