1. Send thy bread upon the surface of the waters, for after many days thou shalt find it[355].

2. Consider[356] seven and even eight (men), for you do not know what kind of misfortune[357] will be on the earth.

3. If the clouds are filled with rain, they pour it out on the earth[358]; If a tree falls to the south, or to the north, then in the place where the tree falls, there it will remain[359].

4. He who watches the wind will not sit, and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.

5. Wherefore[360] no one knows the way of the world, nor (the formation)[361] of the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, so thou shalt not understand the works of God, all that he does[362].

6. In the morning and in the evening let not your hand forsake (this), for you do not know which (this) will grow, this or that[363], or both will be equally good (will be)[364].

7. And the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to look at the sun,

8. So that if a man lives many years, all these things will rejoice, (although) he will also remember the days of darkness, that there will be many of them: all that is to come is vanity[365].

9. Rejoice, young man, in thy youth, and rejoice in thy heart in the days of thy youth, and walk blameless according to the inclination of thy heart, and not[366] according to the sight of thine eyes,[367] but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment[368],

10. And remove restlessness[369] from your heart, and cast away evil from your flesh, for youth (united) with folly[370] is vanity! [371].

Chapter XII.

1. And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, until thy days of distress come, and the years come, of which thou shalt say, "I have no delight in them"[372].

2. Until the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened (to you), and new clouds[373] are found after the rain.

3. (Until) that day[374] comes, when those who guard the house[375] tremble, and the men of power bend,[376] and cease to grind the grinders,[377] for there are few of them left, and those who look through the orifice will be darkened[378],