Cast Your Bread upon the Waters

1  שַׁלַּ֥ח (Send out) לַחְמְךָ֖ (your bread) עַל־ (on) פְּנֵ֣י (the face) הַמָּ֑יִם (of the waters),

כִּֽי־ (for) בְרֹ֥ב (in many) הַיָּמִ֖ים (days) תִּמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃ (you will find it).

2  תֶּן־ (Give) חֵ֥לֶק (a portion) לְשִׁבְעָ֖ה (to seven), וְגַ֣ם (and even) לִשְׁמוֹנָ֑ה (to eight),

כִּ֚י (for) לֹ֣א (not) תֵדַ֔ע (you do know) מַה־ (what) יִּהְיֶ֥ה (may come to be) רָעָ֖ה (evil) עַל־ (on) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (the earth).

3  אִם־ (If) יִמָּלְא֨וּ (are full) הֶעָבִ֥ים (the clouds) גֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ (of rain),

עַל־ (upon) הָאָ֣רֶץ (the earth) יָרִ֔יקוּ (they will pour out);

וְאִם־ (and if) יִפּ֥וֹל (falls) עֵ֛ץ (a tree) בַּדָּר֖וֹם (in the south), וְאִ֣ם (or) בַּצָּפ֑וֹן (in the north),

מְק֛וֹם (at the place) שֶׁיִּפּ֥וֹל (where falls) הָעֵ֖ץ (the tree), שָׁ֥ם (there) יְהֽוּא׃ (it will be).

4  שֹׁמֵ֥ר (The one watching) ר֖וּחַ (the wind) לֹ֣א (not) יִזְרָ֑ע (will sow),

וְרֹאֶ֥ה (and one looking) בֶעָבִ֖ים (at the clouds) לֹ֥א (not) יִקְצֽוֹר׃ (will reap).

5  כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (As) אֵֽינְךָ֤ (not) יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ (you do know) מַה־ (what is) דֶּ֣רֶךְ (the way) הָר֔וּחַ (of the wind)—

כַּעֲצָמִ֖ים (as the bones) בְּבֶ֣טֶן (in the womb) הַמְּלֵאָ֑ה (of the full woman)—

כָּ֗כָה (so) לֹ֤א (not) תֵדַע֙ (you do know) אֶת־ (-) מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה (the works) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים (of God),

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה (makes) אֶת־ (-) הַכֹּֽל׃ (everything).

6  בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙ (In the morning) זְרַ֣ע (sow) אֶת־ (-) זַרְעֶ֔ךָ (your seed),

וְלָעֶ֖רֶב (and in the evening) אַל־ (do not) תַּנַּ֣ח (withhold) יָדֶ֑ךָ (your hand),

כִּי֩ (for) אֵֽינְךָ֨ (not) יוֹדֵ֜ע (you do know) אֵ֣י (whether) זֶ֤ה (this one) יִכְשָׁר֙ (will prosper),

הֲזֶ֣ה (this one) אוֹ־ (or) זֶ֔ה (this one), וְאִם־ (or whether) שְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם (the two of them) כְּאֶחָ֖ד (alike) טוֹבִֽים׃ (are good).

Enjoy Your Years

7  וּמָת֖וֹק (Also is sweet) הָא֑וֹר (the light),

וְט֥וֹב (and it is good) לַֽעֵינַ֖יִם (for the eyes) לִרְא֥וֹת (to see) אֶת־ (-) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun).

8  כִּ֣י (For) אִם־ (if) שָׁנִ֥ים (years) הַרְבֵּ֛ה (many) יִחְיֶ֥ה (lives) הָאָדָ֖ם (the man),

בְּכֻלָּ֣ם (in them all) יִשְׂמָ֑ח (let him be glad).

וְיִזְכֹּר֙ (And let him remember) אֶת־ (-) יְמֵ֣י (the days) הַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ (of darkness),

כִּֽי־ (for) הַרְבֵּ֥ה (many) יִהְי֖וּ (they will be).

כָּל־ (All) שֶׁבָּ֥א (that is coming) הָֽבֶל׃ (is vapor).

9  שְׂמַ֧ח (Rejoice), בָּח֣וּר (O young man), בְּיַלְדוּתֶ֗יךָ (in your youth),

וִֽיטִֽיבְךָ֤ (and let be made glad) לִבְּךָ֙ (your heart) בִּימֵ֣י (in the days) בְחוּרוֹתֶ֔ךָ (of your youth),

וְהַלֵּךְ֙ (and walk) בְּדַרְכֵ֣י (in the ways) לִבְּךָ֔ (of your heart),

וּבְמַרְאֵ֖י (and in the sight) עֵינֶ֑יךָ (of your eyes);

וְדָ֕ע (and know) כִּ֧י (that) עַל־ (for) כָּל־ (all) אֵ֛לֶּה (these things)

יְבִֽיאֲךָ֥ (will bring you) הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (into the judgment).

10  וְהָסֵ֥ר (Therefore remove) כַּ֙עַס֙ (anger) מִלִּבֶּ֔ךָ (from your heart)

וְהַעֲבֵ֥ר (and make pass) רָעָ֖ה (evil) מִבְּשָׂרֶ֑ךָ (from your flesh),

כִּֽי־ (for) הַיַּלְד֥וּת (youth) וְהַֽשַּׁחֲר֖וּת (and black hair) הָֽבֶל׃ (are vapor).