King James Version

Ecclesiastes 11:6

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.

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Hebrew

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בַּבֹּ֨קֶר֙baboqerin dayבֹּקֶרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in day”, the ordinary formH1242properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning([phrase]) day, early, morning, morrow.זְרַ֣עzerabearזָרַעverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “bear”, a commandH2232to sow; figuratively, to disseminate, plant, fructifybear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er), yield.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).זַרְעֶ֔ךָzarekhaseedזֶרַעnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “seed”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2233seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity[idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time.וְלָעֶ֖רֶבvelaerevand to evenעֶרֶבconjunction, preposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and to even”, the ordinary formH6153dusk[phrase] day, even(-ing, tide), night.אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.תַּנַּ֣חtanachbestowיָנַחverb, hiphil, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “bestow”, a wish or indirect commandH3240to deposit; by implication, to allow to staybestow, cast down, lay (down, up), leave (off), let alone (remain), pacify, place, put, set (down), suffer, withdraw, withhold. (The Hiphil forms with the dagesh are here referred to, in accordance with the older grammarians; but if any di…יָדֶ֑ךָyadekhahandיָדnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […כִּי֩kiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אֵֽינְךָ֨eynkhaelseאַיִןparticle, negative, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).יוֹדֵ֜עyodeknowיָדַעverb, qal, participle, absolute — “know”, a verb used as a describing wordH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…אֵ֣יehowאַיparticle, interrogative — “how”H335where? hence how?how, what, whence, where, whether, which (way).זֶ֤הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…יִכְשָׁר֙yikhsharbe rightכָּשֵׁרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be right”, an unfinished actionH3787by implication, to be acceptable; also to succeed or prosperdirect, be right, prosper.הֲזֶ֣הhazehthe one...the otherזֶהparticle, interrogative, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…אוֹvoalsoאוֹconjunction — “also”H176desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also ifalso, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.זֶ֔הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…וְאִםveimand oh thatאִםconjunction, conjunction — “and oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…שְׁנֵיהֶ֥םsheneyhemtwoשְׁנַיִםadjective, cardinal, masculine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “two”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8147two; also (as ordinal) twofoldboth, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.כְּאֶחָ֖דkeechadas firstאֶחָדpreposition, adjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “as first”, the ordinary formH259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) firsta, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,טוֹבִֽיםtovimgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…

Jewish translation (JPS 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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Douay-Rheims

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.

Jewish Publication Society (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’s Septuagint (1851), English

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.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐν τῷ πρωῒ σπεῖρον τὸ σπέρμα σου, καὶ ἐν ἑσπέρᾳ μὴ ἀφέτω ἡ χείρ σου, ὅτι οὐ γινώσκεις ποῖον στοιχήσει, ἢ τοῦτο ἢ τοῦτο, καὶ ἐὰν τὰ δύο ἐπιτοαυτὸ ἀγαθά.

American Standard Version (1901)

Young’s Literal Translation

World English Bible

Darby Translation

Douay-Rheims

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

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