Uncertainty and the Call to Act

Ecclesiastes 11

The Preacher counsels generosity and diligent labor even without certainty of outcome, comparing it to casting bread upon the water and sowing seed morning and evening without knowing which planting will prosper. He calls the light of life sweet and urges a young man to rejoice in his youth while remembering that the Lord will bring all things into judgment, and to put away sorrow, since youth passes quickly.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonSEND away thy bread on the face of the water; for after many days thou shalt find it.

BrentonSend forth thy bread upon the face of the water: for thou shalt find it after many days.

GreekἈπόστειλον τὸν ἄρτον σου ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ ὕδατος, ὅτι ἐν πλήθει ἡμερῶν εὑρήσεις αὐτόν.

KJVCast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

JPSCast thy bread upon the waters, For thou shalt find it after many days.

ThomsonGive a portion to seven and even to eight; for thou knowest not what evil may be on the earth.

BrentonGive a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil there shall be upon the earth.

GreekΔὸς μερίδα τοῖς ἑπτὰ, καί γε τοῖς ὀκτὼ, ὅτι οὐ γινώσκεις τί ἔσται πονηρὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.

KJVGive a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

JPSDivide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; For thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

ThomsonWhen the clouds are filled with rain they empty themselves on the earth: and if a tree falleth, whether it be to the south or north, in the place where it shall fall there it shall be.

BrentonIf the clouds be filled with rain, they pour it out upon the earth: and if a tree fall southward, or if it fall northward, in the place where the tree shall fall, there it shall be.

GreekἘὰν πλησθῶσι τὰ νέφη ὑετοῦ, ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐκχέουσι· καὶ ἐὰν πέσῃ ξύλον ἐν τῷ Νότῳ, καὶ ἐὰν ἐν τῷ Βοῤῥᾷ, τόπῳ οὗ πεσεῖται τὸ ξυλον, ἐκεῖ ἔσται.

KJVIf the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

JPSIf the clouds be full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree fall in the south, or in the north, In the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.

ThomsonHe who observeth the wind will not sow; and he who looketh at the clouds will not reap. In these cases there is no knowing which way the wind will blow.

BrentonHe that observes the wind sows not; and he that looks at the clouds will not reap.

GreekΤηρῶν ἄνεμον οὐ σπείρει, καὶ βλέπων ἐν ταῖς νεφέλαις οὐ θερίσει.

KJVHe that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

JPSHe that observeth the wind shall not sow; And he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

ThomsonAs thou knowest not how bones are formed in the womb of her who is with child; so thou canst not know the works of God—all that He shall do forming one system.

BrentonAmong whom none knows what is the way of the wind: as the bones are hid in the womb of a pregnant woman, so thou shalt not know the works of God, even all things whatsoever he shall do.

GreekἘν οἷς οὐκ ἔστι γινώσκων τίς ἡ ὁδὸς τοῦ πνεύματος, ὡς ὀστᾶ ἐν γαστρὶ κυοφορούσης, οὕτως οὐ γνώσῃ τὰ ποιήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅσα ποιήσει τὰ σύμπαντα.

KJVAs thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

JPSAs 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 things.

ThomsonIn the morning sow thy seed; and in the evening let not thy hand forbear; for thou knowest not which will succeed, whether this or that; and should both prosper alike, they are good.

BrentonIn the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thine hand be slack: for thou knowest not what sort shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both shall be good alike.

GreekἘν τῷ πρωῒ σπεῖρον τὸ σπέρμα σου, καὶ ἐν ἑσπέρᾳ μὴ ἀφέτω ἡ χείρ σου, ὅτι οὐ γινώσκεις ποῖον στοιχήσει, ἢ τοῦτο ἢ τοῦτο, καὶ ἐὰν τὰ δύο ἐπιτοαυτὸ ἀγαθά.

KJVIn the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

JPSIn 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.

ThomsonLight is indeed sweet, and it is grateful to the eyes to view the sun;

BrentonMoreover the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

GreekΚαὶ γλυκὺ τὸ φῶς, καὶ ἀγαθὸν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦ βλέπειν σὺν τὸν ἥλιον.

KJVTruly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

JPSAnd the light is sweet, And a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

Thomsonyet because, though a man may live many years and be delighted in them all, he will still remember that the days of darkness are many; that all that is coming is vanity;

BrentonFor even if a man should live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

GreekὍτ καὶ ἐὰν ἔτη πολλὰ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς εὐφρανθήσεται καὶ μνησθήσεται τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ σκότους, ὅτι πολλαὶ ἔσονται· πᾶν τὸ ἐρχόμενον ματαιότης.

KJVBut if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

JPSFor if a man live many years, Let him rejoice in them all, And remember the days of darkness, For they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

Thomsonrejoice then, 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 spotless and not by the sight of thine eyes, and know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment.

BrentonRejoice, 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 blameless, but not in the sight of thine eyes: yet know that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

GreekΕὐφραίνου νεανίσκε ἐν νεότητί σου, καὶ ἀγαθυνάτω σε ἡ καρδία σου ἐν ἡμέραις νεότητός σου, καὶ περιπάτει ἐν ὁδοῖς καρδίας σου ἄμωμος, καὶ μὴ ἐν ὁράσει ὀφθαλμῶν σου· καὶ γνῶθι ὅτι ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις ἄξει σε ὁ Θεὸς ἐν κρίσει.

KJVRejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

JPSRejoice, 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.

ThomsonTherefore remove wrath from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh.

BrentonTherefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for youth and folly are vanity.

GreekΚαὶ ἀπόστησον θυμὸν ἀπὸ καρδίας σου, καὶ πάραγε πονηρίαν ἀπὸ σαρκός σου, ὅτι ἡ νεότης καὶ ἡ ἄνοια ματαιότης.

KJVTherefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

JPSTherefore remove vexation from thy heart, And put away evil from thy flesh; For childhood and youth are vanity.