God’s Word Translation
Ecclesiastes 11:6
6Plant your seed in the morning, and don’t let your hands rest until evening. You don’t know whether this field or that field will be profitable or whether both of them will ⌞turn out⌟ equally well.
Ecclesiastes 11:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)In 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.
- English Standard Version (ESV)In 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.
Context of Ecclesiastes 11:6
4Whoever watches the wind will never plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will never harvest. 5Just as you don’t know how the breath of life enters the limbs of a child within its mother’s womb, you also don’t understand how God, who made everything, works. Plant your seed in the morning, and don’t let your hands rest until evening. You don’t know whether this field or that field will be profitable or whether both of them will ⌞turn out⌟ equally well. 7Light is sweet, and it is good for one’s eyes to see the sun. 8Even though people may live for many years, they should enjoy every one of them. But they should also remember there will be many dark days. Everything that is coming is pointless.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 11Ecclesiastes 11:6 word by word
בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙ זְרַ֣ע אֶת־זַרְעֶ֔ךָ וְלָעֶ֖רֶב אַל־תַּנַּ֣ח יָדֶ֑ךָ כִּי֩ אֵֽינְךָ֨ יוֹדֵ֜ע אֵ֣י זֶ֤ה יִכְשָׁר֙ הֲזֶ֣ה אוֹ־זֶ֔ה וְאִם־שְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם כְּאֶחָ֖ד טוֹבִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- In the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
- thy seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seedH2233
- and in the eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
- withholdיָנַחyânach · to restH3240
- not thine handיָדyâd · handH3027
- for thou knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not whetherאַי'ay · where?H335
- shall prosperכָּשֵׁרkâshêr · to succeedH3787
- either this or that, or whether they bothשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- alikeאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 11:6
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with ⌞all⌟ your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you’re going.
- Isaiah 55:10“Rain and snow come down from the sky. They do not go back again until they water the earth. They make it sprout and grow so that it produces seed for farmers and food for people to eat.
- Hosea 10:12“Break new ground. Plant righteousness, and harvest the fruit that your loyalty will produce for me.” It’s time to seek the Lord! When he comes, he will rain righteousness on you.
- Mark 4:26Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seeds on the ground.
- John 4:36The person who harvests the crop is already getting paid. He is gathering grain for eternal life. So the person who plants the grain and the person who harvests it are happy together.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6Remember this: The farmer who plants a few seeds will have a very small harvest. But the farmer who plants because he has received God’s blessings will receive a harvest of God’s blessings in return.
- 2 Timothy 4:2Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach.
- Ecclesiastes 9:1Now, I have carefully thought about all this, and I explain it in this way: Righteous people and wise people, along with their accomplishments, are in God’s hands. No one knows whether there will be love or hatred.
- Haggai 1:6You planted a lot, but you harvested little. You eat, but you’re never full. You drink, but you’re still thirsty. You wear clothing, but you never have enough to keep you warm. You spend money as fast as you earn it.
- Haggai 2:17I infested all your work with blight and mildew and struck it with hail. But you didn’t come back to me, declares the Lord.
- Zechariah 8:11But now I won’t deal with the few remaining people as I did in earlier times, declares the Lord of Armies.
- Acts 11:20But other believers, who were from Cyprus and Cyrene, arrived in Antioch. They started to spread the Good News about the Lord Jesus to Greeks.
- 1 Corinthians 3:5Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? They are servants who helped you come to faith. Each did what the Lord gave him to do.
- 2 Corinthians 9:10God gives seed to the farmer and food to those who need to eat. God will also give you seed and multiply it. In your lives he will increase the things you do that have his approval.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6In the morning sow thy seed - Be ready at all times to show mercy; begin in the morning, continue till the evening. Thou knowest not the most worthy object; it is enough that God knoweth; and if thy motive be good, he will applaud and reward thee; not according to the worthiness or unworthiness of the object of thy charity, but according to the motive which induced thee to relieve him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-6Verses 3-6 “Unforeseen events come from God; and the man who is always gazing on the uncertain future will neither begin nor complete any useful work: but do thou bear in mind that times and circumstances, the powers of nature and the results to which they minister, are in the hand of God; and be both diligent and trustful.” The images are connected chiefly with the occupation of an agricultural laborer: the discharge of rain from the cloud, and the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6All profitable activities involve risk. We should act wisely and trust God for the outcome.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. morning ... evening--early and late; when young and when old; in sunshine and under clouds. seed--of godly works (Ho 10:12; 2Co 9:10; Ga 6:7). prosper--(Is 55:10, 11). both ... alike--Both the unpromising and the promising sowing may bear good fruit in others; certainly they shall to the faithful sower.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 11:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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