| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. | 1Send your bread on the surface of the waters, for after many days you may find it. |
| 2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. | 2Give a portion to seven or even to eight, for you don't know what disaster may happen on earth. |
| 3If 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. | 3If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain on the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or the north, the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. |
| 4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. | 4One who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap. |
| 5As 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. | 5Just as you don't know the path of the wind, or how bones develop in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you don't know the work of God who makes everything. |
| 6In 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. | 6In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand rest, because you don't know which will succeed, whether one or the other, or if both of them will be equally good. |
| 7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: | 7Light is sweet, and it is pleasing for the eyes to see the sun. |
| 8But 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. | 8Indeed, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, since they will be many. All that comes is futile. |
| 9Rejoice, 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. | 9Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad 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 of these things God will bring you to judgment. |
| 10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. | 10Remove sorrow from your heart, and put away pain from your flesh, because youth and the prime of life are fleeting. |
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