Ecclesiastes 11 – NIV & NIRV

New International Version

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Invest in Many Ventures

1Ship your grain across the sea;

after many days you may receive a return.

2Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;

you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

3If clouds are full of water,

they pour rain on the earth.

Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,

in the place where it falls, there it will lie.

4Whoever watches the wind will not plant;

whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

5As you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the body is formed11:5 Or know how life (or the spirit) / enters the body being formed in a mother’s womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

the Maker of all things.

6Sow your seed in the morning,

and at evening let your hands not be idle,

for you do not know which will succeed,

whether this or that,

or whether both will do equally well.

Remember Your Creator While Young

7Light is sweet,

and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.

8However many years anyone may live,

let them enjoy them all.

But let them remember the days of darkness,

for there will be many.

Everything to come is meaningless.

9You who are young, be happy while you are young,

and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.

Follow the ways of your heart

and whatever your eyes see,

but know that for all these things

God will bring you into judgment.

10So then, banish anxiety from your heart

and cast off the troubles of your body,

for youth and vigor are meaningless.

New International Reader’s Version

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Do Many Things to Succeed

1Sell your grain in the market overseas.

After a while you might earn something from it.

2Try to succeed by doing many things.

After all, you don’t know what great trouble might come on the land.

3Clouds that are full of water

pour rain down on the earth.

A tree might fall to the south or the north.

It will stay in the place where it falls.

4Anyone who keeps on watching the wind won’t plant seeds.

Anyone who keeps looking at the clouds won’t gather crops.

5You don’t know the path the wind takes.

You don’t know how a baby is made inside its mother.

So you can’t understand how God works either.

He made everything.

6In the morning plant your seeds.

In the evening keep your hands busy.

You don’t know what will succeed.

It may be one or the other.

Or both might do equally well.

Remember Your Creator While You Are Young

7Light is sweet.

People enjoy being out in the sun.

8No matter how many years anyone might live,

let them enjoy all of them.

But let them remember the dark days.

There will be many of those.

Nothing that’s going to happen will have any meaning.

9You young people, be happy while you are still young.

Let your heart be joyful while you are still strong.

Do what your heart tells you to do.

Go after what your eyes look at.

But I want you to know

that God will judge you for everything you do.

10So drive worry out of your heart.

Get rid of all your troubles.

Being young and strong doesn’t have any meaning.