Ecclesiastes 11:6
in Ecclesiastes 11Sow 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
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.
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 11
Commentary
9 notes on this verseIn 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.
This site's exposition
As you do not know the path of the wind
on Ecclesiastes 11:5-6
From two mysteries, the path of the wind and how the bones are formed, the Teacher argues: so you cannot understand the work of God. The next verse acts on it, Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening.
This site's exposition
Sow your seed in the morning
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read morning and evening as youth and age, sunshine and cloud, and the seed as godly works. Clarke applies the verse to mercy shown all day long. The giver cannot sort the worthy from the unworthy, and God rewards the motive.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"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. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that which comes is vanity.
Let us turn now and ponder the word just as the natural philosopher has said, and let us know its power. "Sow your seed," he said, "in the morning hour and do not cease in the evening hour." And I say according to my dull …
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In the morning sow etc. Here thirdly he exhorts to doing good unceasingly: and first the exhortation is set forth; second, the reason for the exhortation is added; and third, the recompense. He exhorts therefore to performing works of mercy unceasingly, for he says: In …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
All that cometh is vanity. 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. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
In the morning sow thy seed,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
morning . . . evening--early and late; when young and when old; in sunshine and under clouds. seed--of godly works (Ho 10:12; Ga 6:7). prosper-- (Isa 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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Just as you do not know, etc., nor the nature of that which is hidden in the womb of her that is with child.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙ | baboker | in the morning | H1242 → | |
| זְרַ֣ע | zera' | sow | H2232 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| זַרְעֶ֔ךָ | zarekha | seed your | H2233 → | |
| וְלָעֶ֖רֶב | velaerev | and to the evening | H6153 → | |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תַּנַּ֣ח | tanach | you give rest to | H5117 → | 142 times |
| יָדֶ֑ךָ | yadekha | hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| כִּי֩ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֵֽינְךָ֨ | ʾeinekha | not you | H369 → | 789 times |
| יוֹדֵ֜ע | yode' | [are] knowing | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֵ֣י | ʾei | where? | H335 → | |
| זֶ֤ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| יִכְשָׁר֙ | yikhshar | will it succeed | H3787 → | |
| הֲזֶ֣ה | hazeh | ¿ this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| אוֹ־ | ʾov- | or? | H176 → | |
| זֶ֔ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וְאִם־ | veim- | and or? | H518 → | 1069 times |
| שְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם | sheneihem | [will] both of them | H8147 → | 768 times |
| כְּאֶחָ֖ד | keechad | as one | H259 → | 971 times |
| טוֹבִֽים׃ | tovim | [be] good | H2896 → | 538 times |
בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙in the morning
babokerH1242 →
זְרַ֣עsow
zera'H2232 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
זַרְעֶ֔ךָseed your
zarekhaH2233 →
וְלָעֶ֖רֶבand to the evening
velaerevH6153 →
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תַּנַּ֣חyou give rest to
tanachH5117 →142 times
יָדֶ֑ךָhand your
yadekhaH3027 →1618 times
כִּי֩for
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֵֽינְךָ֨not you
ʾeinekhaH369 →789 times
יוֹדֵ֜ע[are] knowing
yode'H3045 →945 times
אֵ֣יwhere?
ʾeiH335 →
זֶ֤הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
יִכְשָׁר֙will it succeed
yikhsharH3787 →
הֲזֶ֣ה¿ this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
אוֹ־or?
ʾov-H176 →
זֶ֔הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
וְאִם־and or?
veim-H518 →1069 times
שְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם[will] both of them
sheneihemH8147 →768 times
כְּאֶחָ֖דas one
keechadH259 →971 times
טוֹבִֽים׃[be] good
tovimH2896 →538 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 9:6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
it leads to
- Proverbs 11:24–25
One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
- Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured…
- Proverbs 22:9
A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
- Proverbs 11:24–25
Through
Hosea 10:12Sow 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.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:3–4
For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
- James 3:18
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
- Isaiah 45:8
Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.
- Proverbs 11:18
The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
- Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Jeremiah 4:3–4
Where this verse is studied
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11; Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Peter of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON RICHES 1:6-7.