The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 11:4 Explained

Ecclesiastes 11:4

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

YLT: Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Ecclesiastes 11:4 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 11:4 mean?

He who observes the wind not will sow and he who regards the clouds will reap
שֹׁמֵ֥ר ר֖וּחַ לֹ֣א יִזְרָ֑ע וְרֹאֶ֥ה בֶעָבִ֖ים יִקְצֽוֹר

שֹׁמֵ֥ר  He  who  observes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
ר֖וּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יִזְרָ֑ע  will  sow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָרַע  
Sense: to sow, scatter seed.
וְרֹאֶ֥ה  and  he  who  regards 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בֶעָבִ֖ים  the  clouds 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common plural
Root: עָב 
Sense: darkness, cloud, thicket.
יִקְצֽוֹר  will  reap 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָצוּר 
Sense: to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved.

What are the major concepts related to Ecclesiastes 11:4?

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