In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let your hand rest
A proverb advising to continue and act with perseverance.
("In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let your hand rest, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good"—Ecclesiastes 11:6. And similarly: "Rabbi Akiva says: In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let your hand rest. If you have established students in your youth, do not cease (do not stop) from establishing others in your old age"—Ancient Midrash Tanchuma, Chayei Sarah. And also: "In the morning sow your seed... If you studied Torah in your youth, study Torah in your old age. If you had students in your youth, have students in your old age; if you married a wife and had children in your youth, marry a wife and have children in your old age; if you gave charity in your youth, give charity in your old age"—Rashi, Ecclesiastes 11:6)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
בַּבּוֹקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ
Definition (Hebrew)
פִּתְגָּם וּלְפִיו יֵשׁ לְהַמְשִׁיךְ וְלִפְעֹל בְּהַתְמָדָה, בֹּקֶר וְעֶרֶב.
(בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ כִּי אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ אֵי זֶה יִכְשָׁר הֲזֶה אוֹ זֶה וְאִם שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד טוֹבִים"- קֹהֶלֶת יָא ו, וְכֵן: "ר' עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: "בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֵךְ", אִם הֶעֱמַדְתָּ תַּלְמִידִים בְּנַעֲרוּתְךָ, אַל תֵּשֵׁב (אַל תֶּחְדַּל) מִלְּהַעֲמִיד אֲחֵרִים בְּזִקְנוּתְךָ" - מִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא הַקָּדוּם, חַיֵּי שָׁרָה, וְכֵן: "בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֵךְ וְגֵו'- אִם לָמַדְתָּ תּוֹרָה בְּיַלְדוּתְךָ לְמַד תּוֹרָה בְּזִקְנוּתְךָ, אִם הָיוּ לָךְ תַּלְמִידִים בְּיַלְדוּתְךָ יִהְיוּ לָךְ תַּלְמִידִים בְּזִקְנוּתְךָ, נָשָׂאתָ אִשָּׁה בַּת בָּנִים בְּיַלְדוּתְךָ שָׂא אִשָּׁה בַּת בָּנִים בְּזִקְנוּתֵךְ, עָשִׂיתָ צְדָקָה בְּיַלְדוּתְךָ עֲשֵׂה צְדָקָה בְּזִקְנוּתְךָ"- רָשִׁ"י קֹהֶלֶת יָא ו)