Ecclesiastes 11:9 New English Translation
Enjoy Life to the Fullest under the Fear of God
9 Rejoice, young man, while you are young,[a]
and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.
Follow the impulses[b] of your heart and the desires[c] of your eyes,
but know that God will judge your motives and actions.[d]
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 tn Heb “in your youth”; or “in your childhood.”
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 tn Heb “walk in the ways of your heart.”
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 tn Heb “the sight.”
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 tn Heb “and know that concerning all these God will bring you into judgment.” The point is not that following one’s impulses and desires is inherently bad and will bring condemnation from God. Rather the point seems to be: As you follow your impulses and desires, realize that all you think and do will eventually be evaluated by God. So one must seek joy within the boundaries of God’s moral standards.
New English Translation (NET)
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