Ecclesiastes 11:6

King James Version

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.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
In the morning sow your seed,and at evening do not let your hand rest,because you don’t know which will succeed,whether one or the other,or if both of them will be equally good.

Hebrew Names Version
In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening don't withhold your hand; For you don't know which will prosper, whether this or that, Or whether they both will be equally good.

English Standard Version
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 American Standard Bible
Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether one or the other will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

New Century Version
Plant early in the morning, and work until evening, because you don't know if this or that will succeed. They might both do well.

Amplified Bible
Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle with your hands in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening planting will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

World English Bible
In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening don't withhold your hand; For you don't know which will prosper, whether this or that, Or whether they both will be equally good.

Geneva Bible (1587)
In the morning sowe thy seede, and in the euening let not thine hand rest: for thou knowest not whither shall prosper, this or that, or whether both shalbe a like good.

Legacy Standard Bible
Sow your seed in the morning and do not put your hands down in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

Berean Standard Bible
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

Contemporary English Version
Plant your seeds early in the morning and keep working in the field until dark. Who knows? Your work might pay off, and your seeds might produce.

Complete Jewish Bible
In the morning, sow your seed; and don't slack off until evening; for you don't know which sowing will succeed, this, or that, or if both will do well.

Darby Translation
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Easy-to-Read Version
So begin planting early in the morning, and don't stop working until evening. You don't know what might make you rich. Maybe everything you do will be successful.

George Lamsa Translation
In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hands: for you know not which shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both alike shall be good.

Good News Translation
Do your planting in the morning and in the evening, too. You never know whether it will all grow well or whether one planting will do better than the other.

Lexham English Bible
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not let your hands rest in the evening, for you do not know what will prosper— whether this or that, or whether both of them alike will succeed.

Literal Translation
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hand until evening; for you do not know what shall be blessed, this or that; or whether they both shall be good as one.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Cease not thou therfore with thy handes to sowe thy sede, whether it be in ye mornynge or in the euenynge: for thou knowest not whether this or that shall prospere, & yf they both take, it is the better.

American Standard Version
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Bible in Basic English
In the morning put your seed into the earth, and till the evening let not your hand be at rest; because you are not certain which will do well, this or that--or if the two will be equally good.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

King James Version (1611)
In the morning sowe thy seede, and in the euening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ceasse not thou therefore with thy handes to sowe thy seede, whether it be in the morning or in the euening: for thou knowest not whether this or that shall prosper, and if they both take, it is the better.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thine hand be slack: for thou knowest not what sort shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether both shall be good alike.

English Revised Version
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Eerli sowe thi seed, and thin hond ceesse not in the euentid; for thou woost not, what schal come forth more, this ethir that; and if euer eithir cometh forth togidere, it schal be the betere.

Update Bible Version
In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening don't withhold your hand; for you don't know which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Webster's Bible Translation
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both [shall be] alike good.

New English Translation
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not stop working until the evening; for you do not know which activity will succeed— whether this one or that one, or whether both will prosper equally.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don't know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.

New Life Bible
Plant your seeds in the morning, and do not be lazy in the evening. You do not know which will grow well, the morning or evening planting, or if both of them alike will do well.

New Revised Standard
In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In the morning, sow thy seed, and, until evening, do not withhold thy hand, - for thou knowest not - whether shall thrive, either this or that, or whether, both alike, shall be fruitful.

Douay-Rheims Bible
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring up, this or that: and if both together, it shall be the better.

Revised Standard Version
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.

Young's Literal Translation
In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike [are] good.

THE MESSAGE
Go to work in the morning and stick to it until evening without watching the clock. You never know from moment to moment how your work will turn out in the end.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

Contextual Overview

¹ Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. ² Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. ³ If 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. ⁴ He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. ⁵ As 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. ⁶ 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sow: Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 55:10, Hosea 10:12, Mark 4:26-29, John 4:36-38, 2 Corinthians 9:6, 2 Timothy 4:2

thou knowest: Ecclesiastes 9:1, Haggai 1:6-11, Haggai 2:17-19, Zechariah 8:11, Zechariah 8:12, Acts 11:20, Acts 11:21, 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, 2 Corinthians 9:10, 2 Corinthians 9:11

prosper: Heb. be right

Reciprocal: Genesis 26:12 - an hundredfold Genesis 47:23 - here is seed Psalms 112:9 - dispersed Proverbs 3:28 - General Proverbs 11:24 - that scattereth Ecclesiastes 7:18 - good Ecclesiastes 11:1 - for Matthew 5:42 - General Mark 4:3 - there Luke 5:6 - they enclosed Romans 12:8 - giveth Galatians 6:8 - soweth to the 1 Timothy 6:18 - ready

Cross-References

Genesis 3:22
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Genesis 6:5
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 8:21
And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Genesis 9:19
These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

Genesis 11:1
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

Genesis 11:4
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

Judges 10:14
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

1 Kings 18:27
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

Ecclesiastes 11:9
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.

Luke 1:51
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

In the morning sow thy seed,.... Do all good works early and diligently, which is expressed by sowing in righteousness, Hosea 10:12; particularly alms deeds, often signified by sowing seed, Psalms 112:9 2 Corinthians 9:6; this should be in the morning of youth, that persons may be inured to it betimes as Obadiah was; and in the morning of prosperity, as soon as ever Providence smiles on men, and puts it into the power of their hands, who should honour the Lord with the firstfruits of their increase;

and in the evening withhold not thine hand; from sowing seed, from doing good, particularly acts of charity, in the evening of old age, as Jarchi, like old Barzillai; an age in which men are apt to be more tenacious and covetous, and withhold more than is meet; yea, in the evening of adversity do not leave off doing good as much as can be; but do as the Macedonian churches, whose deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality in a great trial of affliction, 2 Corinthians 8:2; in short, good is to be done at all times, as opportunity offers, throughout the whole of life, and in all conditions and circumstances;

for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that; the seed sown in the morning or in the evening, which good work shall best succeed; therefore do both, try all ways, make use of all opportunities;

or whether they both [shall be] alike good; acceptable to God, and useful to men; and if so, a man will have no occasion to repent of what he has done both in youth and old age.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

“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 inclination of the falling tree, and the direction of the wind, are beyond his control, though the result of his work is affected by them. The common application of the image of the fallen tree to the state of departed souls was probably not in the mind of the inspired writer.

Ecclesiastes 11:5

Spirit - The same Hebrew word (like πνεῦμα pneuma in Greek and “Spirit” in English) signifies both the wind Ecclesiastes 11:4 and the Spirit (compare marginal reference). The Old Testament in many places recognizes the special operation of God Job 10:8-12; Psalms 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5, and distinctly of the Spirit of God Job 31:15 in the origination of every child. Compare Genesis 2:7.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 11:6. In 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.