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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Ecclesiastes 11

A searching reflection on mortality, work, pleasure, wisdom, and life as God's gift.

Old Testament

Ecclesiastes 11

1Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.

2Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.

3If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there shall it be.

4He who observes the wind won’t sow; and he who regards the clouds won’t reap.

5As you don’t know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don’t know the work of God who does all.

6In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don’t withhold your hand; for you don’t know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both will be equally good.

7Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun.

8Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

9Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

10Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

A searching reflection on mortality, work, pleasure, wisdom, and life as God's gift. Read Ecclesiastes 11 within the complete Ecclesiastes overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Ecclesiastes 11

Ecclesiastes 11 contains 10 verses and about 268 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Cast your bread on the waters; for you shall find it after many days.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 10 closes: “Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include don’t, know, will, days, youth, heart. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Ecclesiastes 11

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Ecclesiastes 11:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer