Ecclesiastes 11:4 (KJV)

What does Ecclesiastes 11:4 mean?

Ecclesiastes 11:4 pictures a farmer who lets concern about the weather prevent both planting and harvesting. The point is that waiting for conditions to be free of risk can leave necessary work undone, with no crop planted or gathered.

Wind could interfere with sowing, while threatening clouds could bring rain during harvest. The teacher uses these familiar farming scenes to show how uncertainty surrounds work at different stages, from putting seed in the ground to bringing in the crop.

The Hebrew behind Ecclesiastes 11:4

• “observeth” — שָׁמַר (shamar): This word can mean to watch or keep careful guard. Here it suggests close attention to the wind, not merely noticing that it is blowing.
• “regardeth” — רָאָה (ra’ah): This word often means to see or look at. Paired with the first line, it pictures someone watching the clouds instead of gathering the harvest.

Why Ecclesiastes 11:4 matters

• The verse presents a vivid consequence, not a weather forecast. “Shall not sow” and “shall not reap” describe what happens to the farmer’s work when watching takes its place.

• The two halves cover both ends of the growing season. Even a crop ready to gather can be left in the field if threatening clouds hold the farmer back.

• The wider passage connects the image with the limits of human knowledge. Verse 5 speaks of things people cannot know, and verse 6 returns to sowing because the outcome of the work is uncertain.