Ecclesiastes 11:6

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

4He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. 5Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good. 7The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun. 8Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.

Ecclesiastes 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

• Sowזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
• your seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seedH2233
• in the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
• be idleנוּחַnûach · to restH5117
• be idleיָדyâd · handH3027
• in the eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
• for you do not knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• whetherאַי'ay · where?H335
• morningזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
• evening sowing will succeedכָּשֵׁרkâshêr · to succeedH3787
• or whetherאִם'im · ifH518
• bothשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• of them alikeאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• will be goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 11:6

• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
• Isaiah 55:10For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
• Hosea 10:12Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.
• Mark 4:26And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil;
• John 4:36Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
• 2 Corinthians 9:6Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
• 2 Timothy 4:2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
• Ecclesiastes 9:1For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.
• Haggai 1:6You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
• Haggai 2:17I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the Lord.
• Zechariah 8:11But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ declares the Lord of hosts.
• Acts 11:20But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.
• 1 Corinthians 3:5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.
• 2 Corinthians 9:10Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;

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

• Agriculture
• Economics
• Industry
• Seed

In the dictionaries

• Childhood
• Empty
• Regard
• Remove

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