Ecclesiastes 11:6

6 In the morning, sow your seed; and don't slack off until evening; for you don't know which sowing will succeed, this, or that, or if both will do well.

Ecclesiastes 11:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 11:6

In the morning sow thy seed
Do all good works early and diligently, which is expressed by sowing in righteousness, ( Hosea 10:12 ) ; particularly alms deeds, often signified by sowing seed, ( Psalms 112:9 ) ( 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 ) ; this should be in the morning of youth, that persons may be inured to it betimes as Obadiah was; and in the morning of prosperity, as soon as ever Providence smiles on men, and puts it into the power of their hands, who should honour the Lord with the firstfruits of their increase; and in the evening withhold not thine hand;
from sowing seed, from doing good, particularly acts of charity, in the evening of old age, as Jarchi, like old Barzillai; an age in which men are apt to be more tenacious and covetous, and withhold more than is meet; yea, in the evening of adversity do not leave off doing good as much as can be; but do as the Macedonian churches, whose deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality in a great trial of affliction, ( 2 Corinthians 8:2 ) ; in short, good is to be done at all times, as opportunity offers, throughout the whole of life, and in all conditions and circumstances; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that;
the seed sown in the morning or in the evening, which good work shall best succeed; therefore do both, try all ways, make use of all opportunities; or whether they both [shall be] alike good;
acceptable to God, and useful to men; and if so, a man will have no occasion to repent of what he has done both in youth and old age.

Ecclesiastes 11:6 In-Context

4 He who keeps watching the wind will never sow; he who keeps looking at the clouds will never reap.

5 Just as you don't know the way of the wind or how bones grow in a pregnant woman's womb, so you don't know the work of God, the maker of everything.

6 In the morning, sow your seed; and don't slack off until evening; for you don't know which sowing will succeed, this, or that, or if both will do well.

7 Then the light will be sweet, and it will be a pleasure to see the sun. 1086

8 For if a person lives many years, let him take joy in them all; yet remembering that there will be many days of darkness, that all to come is futile.