Be Bold and Generous
Study note
The Teacher encourages people to be generous and to invest wisely, because you never know what trouble may come. He warns against waiting for perfect conditions before acting. Just as you cannot understand the wind or how a baby grows in the womb, you cannot understand everything God does. So plant your seeds in the morning and keep working in the evening, because you do not know which effort will succeed.
1 Be generous with what you have and share it freely. In time, it will find its way back to you. Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2 Spread what you have among seven or even eight different things. You never know what kind of hard times might be ahead. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 When clouds get heavy enough, they pour rain down on the earth. Whether a tree falls north or south, wherever it lands is where it stays. If 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.
4 If you wait around for perfect conditions, you will never plant a single seed. If you keep watching the sky for bad weather, you will never bring in a harvest. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5 You do not understand how the wind works or how a baby forms inside a mother's womb. In the same way, you cannot understand everything about what God is doing. As 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.
6 Get your seeds in the ground in the morning and keep at it through the evening. You have no idea which planting will produce the best results, or whether they will both turn out equally well. In 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.
Enjoy Life but Remember the Future
Study note
The Teacher says that life is sweet and it is wonderful to see the sunlight. But even if you live many years and enjoy them all, remember that dark days are coming too. He tells young people to enjoy their youth and follow their hearts, but to always know that God will judge their actions. So get rid of worry and avoid what harms your body, because youth does not last forever.
7 Being alive is a sweet thing, and waking up to see the sunlight is a gift. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
8 If you are blessed with many years, find something to enjoy in every one of them. But keep in mind that dark and difficult days will come too. Everything ahead is uncertain and fleeting. But 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.
9 So enjoy your youth while it lasts, young people! Let happiness fill your heart during these years. Go where your heart leads you and follow what catches your eye. But never forget that God will hold you accountable for the choices you make. Rejoice, 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.
10 Push worry out of your heart and guard your body from harm. Youth and vigor are temporary gifts that will not last forever. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.