Ecclesiastes 11:9 “Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad…”

Ecclesiastes 11:9

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.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

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.

American Standard Version

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.

Geneva Bible 1599

Reioyce, O yong man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth: and walke in the waies of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but knowe that for all these things, God wil bring thee to iudgement.

Darby Translation

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.

Young's Literal Translation

Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.

Bible in Basic English

Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

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Cross references

“Rejoice”

1 Kings 18:27 1 Kings 22:15 Luke 15:12 Luke 15:13

1 Kings 18:27 · BSB

At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

1 Kings 22:15 · BSB

When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Luke 15:12 · BSB

The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

Luke 15:13 · BSB

After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.

“in thy youth”

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Lamentations 3:27 1 Kings 18:12

Ecclesiastes 12:1 · BSB

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,”

Lamentations 3:27 · BSB

It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is still young.

1 Kings 18:12 · BSB

I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.

“walk”

Job 31:7 Numbers 15:30 Deuteronomy 29:19 Psalm 81:12 Jeremiah 7:24 Jeremiah 23:17

Job 31:7 · BSB

If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

Numbers 15:30 · BSB

But the person who sins defiantly, whether a native or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD. That person shall be cut off from among his people.

Deuteronomy 29:19 · BSB

because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself, saying, ‘I will have peace, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart.’ This will bring disaster on the watered land…

Psalm 81:12 · BSB

So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

Jeremiah 7:24 · BSB

Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

Jeremiah 23:17 · BSB

They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD says that you will have peace,’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’

“in the sight”

Ecclesiastes 2:10 Genesis 3:6 Matthew 5:28 Genesis 6:2 2 Samuel 11:2–4 Joshua 7:21

Ecclesiastes 2:10 · BSB

Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

Genesis 3:6 · BSB

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate i…

Matthew 5:28 · BSB

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Genesis 6:2 · BSB

the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

2 Samuel 11:2–4 · BSB

One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman.

Joshua 7:21 · BSB

When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the sil…

“know”

Ecclesiastes 12:14 Ecclesiastes 3:17 2 Corinthians 5:10 Hebrews 9:27 Romans 14:10 Romans 2:5–11

Ecclesiastes 12:14 · BSB

For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 3:17 · BSB

I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 · BSB

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.

Hebrews 9:27 · BSB

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,

Romans 14:10 · BSB

Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

Romans 2:5–11 · BSB

But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Also

Numbers 15:39

Numbers 15:39 · BSB

These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

8So 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.

10So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.

Read Ecclesiastes 11