Ecclesiastes 11:9
7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
8 So if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is futile.
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad 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 things God will bring you to judgment.
10 So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad 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 things God will bring you to judgment.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you 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 these things God will bring you into judgment.
- ASV
- 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 thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
- DARBY
- Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.
- BLB
- Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart be made glad in the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes, and know that for all these [things] God will bring you into the judgment.
- ÅB
- Gled deg, du unge, i din ungdom og la ditt hjerte være vel til mote i din ungdoms dager og vandre på ditt hjertes veier og etter det dine øyne ser! Men vit at for alt dette vil Gud føre deg fram for dommen.
- OTB
- Vær glad, unge menneske, i din ungdom, og la ditt hjerte være lystig i dine ungdomsdager. Følg ditt hjertes tilbøyeligheter og dine øynes syn, men vit at Gud vil bringe deg til dom for alle disse tingene.
- B1930
- Gled dig, du unge, i din ungdom og la ditt hjerte være vel til mote i din ungdoms dager og vandre på ditt hjertes veier og efter det dine øine ser! Men vit at for alt dette vil Gud føre dig frem for dommen.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
Read in context1 John 2:15–16
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 12:1
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
Read in contextEcclesiastes 3:17
I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”
Read in contextLamentations 3:27
It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.
Read in context2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
Read in contextJob 31:7
If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
Read in contextHebrews 9:27
Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Read in context