| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. | 1Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. |
| 2Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, For you do not know what evil will be on the earth. | 2Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. |
| 3If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie. | 3If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. |
| 4He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap. | 4He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. |
| 5As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. | 5As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. |
| 6In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good. | 6In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good. |
| 7Truly the light is sweet, And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun; | 7Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. |
| 8But if a man lives many years And rejoices in them all, Yet let him remember the days of darkness, For they will be many. All that is coming is vanity. | 8So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity. |
| 9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. | 9Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and 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 childhood and youth are vanity. | 10Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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