Ecclesiastes 11:6 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.

Bible > Ecclesiastes > Chapter 11 > Verse 6

◄ Ecclesiastes 11:6 ►

New International Version
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.

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.

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.

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.

King James Bible
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 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 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.

NASB 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.

NASB 1977
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.

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.

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.

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.

Holman 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.

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.

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.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
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.

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.

International Standard Version
Sow your seed in the morning, and don't stop working until evening, since you don't know which of your endeavors will do well, whether this one or that, or even if both will do equally well.

Majority 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.

NET Bible
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 Heart English Bible
In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they will both be equally 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.

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.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
In the morning sow your seed, "" And at evening do not withdraw your hand, "" For you do not know which is right, this or that, "" Or whether both of them alike [are] 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.

Smith's Literal Translation
In the morning sow thy seed, and at evening thou shalt not let thy hand rest: for thou shalt not know whether this shall be right, this or that, or if they two as one being good.

Catholic Translations

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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
In the morning, sow your seed, and in the evening, do not let your hand cease. For you do not know which of these may rise up, the one or the other. But if both rise up together, so much the better.

New American Bible
In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hand be idle: For you do not know which of the two will be successful, or whether both alike will turn out well.

New Revised Standard Version
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.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
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.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Every dawn sow your seed, and at evening do not remove your hand, because you do not know what will prosper, whether this or that, or if both are good together

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Cast Your Bread upon the Waters
…5As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. 6Sow 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.

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Galatians 6:9
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Psalm 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. / He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.

Proverbs 11:18
The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

Isaiah 32:20
Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.

Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.

Matthew 13:3-9
And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. / And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. ...

Mark 4:26-29
Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. / Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. / All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. ...

Luke 8:5-8
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture. / Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the seedlings. ...

James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8
I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. / So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. / He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

Genesis 8:22
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”

Proverbs 22:8
He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

2 Thessalonians 3:13
But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.

John 4:36-38
Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. / For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. / I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor.”

Treasury of Scripture

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

sow

Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Isaiah 55:10
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Hosea 10:12
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

thou knowest

Ecclesiastes 9:1
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

Haggai 1:6-11
Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes…

Haggai 2:17-19
I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD…

prosper

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Ecclesiastes 11

1. directions for charity
7. death in life and the day of judgment
9. in the days of youth

Berean Study Bible

Sow your seed in the morning
The phrase "Sow your seed in the morning" encourages diligence and initiative. In the Hebrew context, "sow" (זָרַע, zara) implies an act of faith and expectation. The morning symbolizes the beginning of opportunities, a time to start endeavors with vigor and hope. Historically, sowing was a critical agricultural activity, essential for survival and prosperity. Spiritually, this can be seen as an exhortation to invest in good works and spiritual growth early in life or at the start of any new venture.

and do not rest your hands in the evening
"Do not rest your hands in the evening" suggests perseverance and continued effort. The Hebrew word for "rest" (נָחָה, nachah) implies ceasing from labor. The evening represents the latter part of the day or life, a time when one might be tempted to relax or give up. This phrase encourages believers to maintain their efforts and not become complacent, trusting that God honors persistent labor.

for you do not know which will succeed
"For you do not know which will succeed" speaks to the uncertainty of outcomes. The Hebrew word for "know" (יָדַע, yada) indicates a deep, intimate understanding, which humans lack regarding the future. This uncertainty calls for trust in God's sovereignty and wisdom, acknowledging that while we are responsible for our efforts, the results are ultimately in His hands.

whether this or that
"Whether this or that" highlights the unpredictability of success. The phrase suggests that different efforts may yield different results, and it is not always clear which will prosper. This reflects the biblical principle that God's ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), reminding believers to be faithful in their endeavors without being overly concerned about which will bear fruit.

or if both will equally prosper
"Or if both will equally prosper" offers a hopeful possibility that multiple efforts may succeed. The Hebrew word for "prosper" (כָּשַׁר, kashar) conveys the idea of being right or successful. This phrase encourages believers to be open to God's abundant blessings, recognizing that He can cause all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28). It inspires a sense of optimism and trust in God's provision and timing.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Prosper.--The word is used again in Ecclesiastes 10:10 and Esther 8:5, and belongs to modern Hebrew. (Comp. Galatians 6:7-8.)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - In the morning sow thy seed. Do not let your ignorance of the future and the inscrutability of God's dealings lead you to indolence and apathy; do your appointed work; be active and diligent in your calling. The labor of the farmer is taken as a type of business generally, and was especially appropriate to the class of persons whom Koheleth is instructing. The injunction occurs naturally after ver. 4. And in the evening withhold not thine hand. Labor on untiredly from morn till evening. It is not an advice to rest during midday, as that was too hot a time to work (Stuart), but a call to spend the entire day in active employment, the two extremities being mentioned in order to include the whole. Work undertaken in a right spirit is a blessing, not a curse, shuts out many temptations, encourages many virtues. Some see here a special reference to the maxim at the beginning of the chapter, as though the author meant, "Exercise thy charity at all times, early and late," the metaphor being similar 'to that in 2 Corinthians 9:6, "He which soweth sparingly," etc. Others find a figure of the ages of, man in the "morning and evening," thus, "From earliest youth practice piety and purity, and continue such conduct to its close." This leads naturally to the subject of the following section; but it may be doubted whether this thought was in the author's mind. It seems best to take the paragraph merely as commending activity, whether in business or in benevolence, without anxious regard to results which are in higher hands. "Withhold not thy hand," i.e. from sowing; Μὴ ἀφέτω ἡ χείρ σου (Septuagint). For thou knowest not whether shall prosper, which of the two sewings, either this or that, the morning or evening sowing. It is a chance, and a man must risk something; if one fails, the other may succeed. Or whether they both shall be alike good. The uncertainty rouses to exertion; labor may at any rate secure half the crop, or even give a double produce, if both sewings succeed. So in religion and morality, the good seed sown early and late may bear fruit early or late, or may have blessed results all along. The Vulgate is less correct, Et si utrumque simul, melius or, "And if both together, it will be better."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Sow
זְרַ֣ע (zə·ra‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2232: To sow, to disseminate, plant, fructify

your seed
זַרְעֶ֔ךָ (zar·‘e·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

in the morning,
בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙ (bab·bō·qer)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning

and do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

rest
תַּנַּ֣ח (tan·naḥ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3240: Bestow, cast down, lay down, up, leave off, let alone remain, pacify, place,

your hands
יָדֶ֑ךָ (yā·ḏe·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

in the evening,
וְלָעֶ֖רֶב (wə·lā·‘e·reḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6153: Evening

for
כִּי֩ (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you do not
אֵֽינְךָ֨ (’ê·nə·ḵā)
Adverb | second person masculine singular
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

know
יוֹדֵ֜ע‪‬ (yō·w·ḏê‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

which
אֵ֣י (’ê)
Interrogative
Strong's 335: Where?, how?

will succeed,
יִכְשָׁר֙ (yiḵ·šār)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3787: To be advantageous, proper, or suitable, to succeed

whether this
הֲזֶ֣ה (hă·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

or
אוֹ־ (’ōw-)
Conjunction
Strong's 176: Desire, if

that,
זֶ֔ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

or if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

both
שְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם (šə·nê·hem)
Number - mdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

will equally
כְּאֶחָ֖ד (kə·’e·ḥāḏ)
Preposition-k | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

prosper.
טוֹבִֽים׃ (ṭō·w·ḇîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 11:6 In the morning sow your seed (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)