Ecclesiastes 11:4

NETBible

He who watches the wind will not sow, and he who observes the clouds will not reap. 1 

NIV ©

Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

NASB ©

He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.

NLT ©

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.

MSG ©

Don't sit there watching the wind. Do your own work. Don't stare at the clouds. Get on with your life.

BBE ©

He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain.

NRSV ©

Whoever observes the wind will not sow; and whoever regards the clouds will not reap.

NKJV ©

He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.

KJV
He that observeth
<08104> (8802)
the wind
<07307>
shall not sow
<02232> (8799)_;
and he that regardeth
<07200> (8802)
the clouds
<05645>
shall not reap
<07114> (8799)_.
NASB ©
He who watches
<8104>
the wind
<7307>
will not sow
<2232>
and he who looks
<7200>
at the clouds
<5645>
will not reap
<7114>
.
LXXM
thrwn
<5083> 
V-PAPNS
anemon
<417> 
N-ASM
ou
<3364> 
ADV
sperei
<4687> 
V-FAI-3S
kai
<2532> 
CONJ
blepwn
<991> 
V-PAPNS
en
<1722> 
PREP
taiv
<3588> 
T-DPF
nefelaiv
<3507> 
N-DPF
ou
<3364> 
ADV
yerisei
<2325> 
V-FAI-3S
NET [draft] ITL
He who watches
<08104>
the wind
<07307>
will not
<03808>
sow
<02232>
, and he who observes
<07200>
the clouds
<05645>
will not
<03808>
reap
<07114>
.
HEBREW
rwuqy
<07114>
al
<03808>
Mybeb
<05645>
harw
<07200>
erzy
<02232>
al
<03808>
xwr
<07307>
rms (11:4)
<08104>
NETBible

He who watches the wind will not sow, and he who observes the clouds will not reap. 1 

NET Notes

1 sn This proverb criticizes those who are overly cautious. The farmer who waits for the most opportune moment to plant when there is no wind to blow away the seed, and to reap when there is no rain to ruin a ripe harvest, will never do anything but sit around waiting for the right moment.