The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 11:5 Explained

Ecclesiastes 11:5

KJV: As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

YLT: As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, How -- bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole.

Darby: As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all.

ASV: As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As thou knowest  not what [is] the way  of the spirit,  [nor] how the bones  [do grow] in the womb  of her that is with child:  even so thou knowest  not the works  of God  who maketh  all. 

What does Ecclesiastes 11:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 - Live Not For Today Alone
The casting of bread upon the waters is an allusion to the oriental custom of casting rice-grains on the fields, when they lie submerged beneath the annual inundation of such a river as the Nile. To the inexperienced eye, this would seem the prodigality of waste, but the husbandman knows full well that he will meet his seed again with abundant returns. So it is in life, whether we befriend young boys and girls, or distribute tracts, or speak kind and loving words, or invest our money in philanthropic enterprise, we are casting our bread upon the waters to find it after many days in this world or the next.
But how wise the advice not to be always considering the winds and clouds, Ecclesiastes 11:3-4. There is considerable hazard in the life of the farmer. If he waits until all the conditions are favorable, he will never begin. So with our work for God. We must risk something. Often the word spoken at an apparently untoward moment will prove to be the word in season, while that spoken under the most favorable conditions will yield no return at all. God gives it a body as, and when, and how it pleaseth Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 11

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

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 11:5 mean?

As not you do know what [is] the way of the wind [Or how] the bones [grow] in the womb of her who is pregnant so not you do know - the works of God who makes everything
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽינְךָ֤ יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ מַה־ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הָר֔וּחַ כַּעֲצָמִ֖ים בְּבֶ֣טֶן הַמְּלֵאָ֑ה כָּ֗כָה לֹ֤א תֵדַע֙ אֶת־ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה הַכֹּֽל

יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙  you  do  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
מַה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ  the  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הָר֔וּחַ  of  the  wind 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
כַּעֲצָמִ֖ים  [Or  how]  the  bones  [grow] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
בְּבֶ֣טֶן  in  the  womb 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בֶּטֶן  
Sense: belly, womb, body.
הַמְּלֵאָ֑ה  of  her  who  is  pregnant 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: מָלֵא  
Sense: full, fullness, that which fills.
כָּ֗כָה  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כָּכָה  
Sense: like this, thus.
תֵדַע֙  you  do  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה  the  works 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה  makes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַכֹּֽל  everything 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.