A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Cast one's bread upon the waters

Usage

Invest for the future, usually in quiet or kindly ways, not expecting return.

Definition

It is unclear what the phrase means precisely. One suggestion is 'to plant seed in waterlogged land'; another is 'to invest in trade by sea'.

Bible References

Ecclesiastes 11:1

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. 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 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. 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 at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good. ⁷Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. 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 the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. ¹⁰Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

¹Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. ²Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. ³If 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. ⁴He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. ⁵As 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. ⁶In 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. ⁷Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: ⁸But 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. ⁹Rejoice, 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. ¹⁰Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

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