Ecclesiastes 11
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5As 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.
6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
8But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- כִּיkîyH35887× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30455× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- אִםʼimH5185× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- אֵתʼêthH8535× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- כֹּלkôlH36054× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- לֹאlôʼH38084× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- עַלʻalH59214× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- זֶהzehH20883× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- יוֹםyôwmH31173× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- לֵבlêbH38203× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- דֶּרֶךְderekH18702× in this chapter
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
- הֶבֶלhebelH18922× in this chapter
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
- הָיָהhâyâhH19612× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- זָרַעzâraʻH22322× in this chapter
to sow; figuratively, to disseminate, plant, fructify
- טוֹבṭôwbH28962× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- יַלְדוּתyaldûwthH32082× in this chapter
boyhood (or girlhood)
- אַיִןʼayinH3692× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- מָהmâhH41002× in this chapter
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4302× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- נָפַלnâphalH53072× in this chapter
to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
- עָבʻâbH56452× in this chapter
properly, an envelope, i.e. darkness (or density, 2 Chronicles 4:17); specifically, a (scud) cloud; also a copse
- עַיִןʻayinH58692× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- עֵץʻêtsH60862× in this chapter
a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72002× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- רָבָהrâbâhH72352× in this chapter
to increase (in whatever respect)
- רוּחַrûwachH73072× in this chapter
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)
- רַעraʻH74512× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- אֶרֶץʼeretsH7762× in this chapter
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
- שָׂמַחsâmachH80552× in this chapter
probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8342× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9352× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1201× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- בֹּקֶרbôqerH12421× in this chapter
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
- בָּשָׂרbâsârH13201× in this chapter
flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman
- גַּםgamH15711× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- גֶּשֶׁםgeshemH16531× in this chapter
a shower
- אוֹʼôwH1761× in this chapter
desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
- דָּרוֹםdârôwmH18641× in this chapter
the south; poet. the south wind
- הָוָאhâvâʼH19331× in this chapter
to be (in the sense of existence)
- הָלַךְhâlakH19801× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)