Ecclesiastes 11:6 — Compare Translations

27 translations compared side by side

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

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.

English 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.

English Amplified

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

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

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

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

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.

English CSB 2017 - 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.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

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.

English EASY 2024

Plant your seeds in the morning, and continue to work until the evening. You do not know which seeds will become strong plants. Perhaps only some of them will grow. Perhaps they will all grow well.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

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.

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.

English GNT (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.

English God's Word - GW 1995

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.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

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.

English KJV 1611

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.

English LSB

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.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands rest; for you do not know which activity will find success, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - 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.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

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

English NET Bible - 2005 (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.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

In the morning plant your seeds. In the evening keep your hands busy. You don't know what will succeed. It may be one or the other. Or both might do equally well.

English NIV

Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.

English NKJ 1982

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.

English NLT

Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops, for you never know which will grow--perhaps they all will.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

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.

English RSV (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.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will.

English Tyndale 1537

Cease not thou therefore with thy hands to sow thy seed, whether it be in the morning or in the evening: for then knowest not whether this or that shall prosper, and if they both take, it is the better.