Ecclesiastes 11:4
<< Ecclesiastes 11:4 >>
New International Version (©1984)
Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.

English Standard Version (©2001)
He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Whoever watches the wind will never plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will never harvest.

King James Bible
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

American King James Version
He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.

American Standard Version
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Bible in Basic English
He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He that observeth the wind, shall not sow: and he that considereth the clouds, shall never reap.

Darby Bible Translation
He that observeth the wind will not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds will not reap.

English Revised Version
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

World English Bible
He who observes the wind won't sow; and he who regards the clouds won't reap.

Young's Literal Translation
Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.

Geneva Study Bible

He that observeth the {d} wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

(d) He who fears inconveniences when need requires will never do his duty.

Wesley's Notes

11:4 He - He who neglects the necessary works of sowing and reaping, because the weather is not exactly suitable to his desires will lose his harvest. Whereby he intimates, that men will never do good here, which is expressed by sowing, and consequently not receive good hereafter, which is called reaping, if they be discouraged from it by every doubt and difficulty.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. Therefore sow thy charity in faith, without hesitancy or speculation as to results, because they may not seem promising (Ec 9:10). So in Ec 11:1, man is told to "cast his bread corn" on the seemingly unpromising "waters" (Ps 126:5, 6). The farmer would get on badly, who, instead of sowing and reaping, spent his time in watching the wind and clouds.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:1-6 Solomon presses the rich to do good to others. Give freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Give to many. Excuse not thyself with the good thou hast done, from the good thou hast further to do. It is not lost, but well laid out. We have reason to expect evil, for we are born to trouble; it is wisdom to do good in the day of prosperity. Riches cannot profit us, if we do not benefit others. Every man must labour to be a blessing to that place where the providence of God casts him. Wherever we are, we may find good work to do, if we have but hearts to do it. If we magnify every little difficulty, start objections, and fancy hardships, we shall never go on, much less go through with our work. Winds and clouds of tribulation are, in God's hands, designed to try us. God's work shall agree with his word, whether we see it or not. And we may well trust God to provide for us, without our anxious, disquieting cares. Be not weary in well-doing, for in due season, in God's time, you shall reap, Ga 6:9.


Ecclesiastes 11:3 If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies.
Ecclesiastes 11:5 Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. (NASB ©1995)

Clouds Grain Looks Observes Observeth Observing Plant Planted Reap Reapeth Regardeth Regards Seed Sow Soweth Thick Watches Watching Wind Won't


He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Pr 3:27 20:4 22:13

Bible Gateway: Ecclesiastes Chapter 11 Verse 4 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: and at clouds He looks not plant reap sow the watches who Whoever will wind

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