Ecclesiastes 11 (MSG)

10 verses · The Message · Contemporary paraphrase

The Message by Eugene Peterson presents the Bible in the rhythms and idioms of contemporary American English. More than a translation, it is a paraphrase designed to help readers experience Scripture's impact as if hearing it for the first time.

Ecclesiastes Chapter 11 contains 10 verses and is presented here in the The Message (MSG), which uses a contemporary paraphrase approach. Read the full text below, compare with other translations, or navigate to any of the 12 chapters in Ecclesiastes.

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Chapter 10Chapter 12

1Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns.

2Don't hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.

3When the clouds are full of water, it rains. When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls.

4Don't sit there watching the wind. Do your own work. Don't stare at the clouds. Get on with your life.

5Just as you'll never understand the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman, So you'll never understand the mystery at work in all that God does.

6Go to work in the morning and stick to it until evening without watching the clock. You never know from moment to moment how your work will turn out in the end.

7Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!

8Even if you live a long time, don't take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour, Remembering that there will also be many dark days And that most of what comes your way is smoke.

9You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes; You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.

10Live footloose and fancy free— You won't be young forever. Youth lasts about as long as smoke.

Chapter 10Read in NIVChapter 12

About This Translation

What is Ecclesiastes 11 in the MSG?

Ecclesiastes 11 in the The Message (MSG) contains 10 verses. The MSG uses a contemporary paraphrase approach, first published in 2002.

How does the MSG translate Ecclesiastes 11 differently?

The The Message uses contemporary paraphrase, rendering the text as a modern paraphrase in contemporary idioms. Compare this with the NIV (dynamic equivalence) version of Ecclesiastes 11 for a different perspective.

How many verses are in Ecclesiastes 11 (MSG)?

Ecclesiastes Chapter 11 contains 10 verses in the The Message. The book of Ecclesiastes has 12 chapters total.

Ecclesiastes (MSG) — All 12 Chapters