23 Listen and hear my voice;

pay attention and hear what I say.

24 When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?

Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?

25 When he has leveled the surface,

does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?

Does he not plant wheat in its place,

barley in its plot,

and spelt in its field?

26 His God instructs him

and teaches him the right way.

27 Caraway is not threshed with a sledge,

nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin;

caraway is beaten out with a rod,

and cumin with a stick.

28 Grain must be ground to make bread;

so one does not go on threshing it forever.

The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it,

but one does not use horses to grind grain.

29 All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,

whose plan is wonderful,

whose wisdom is magnificent.

23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice;

Hearken, and hear my speech.

24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow?

Doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

25 When he hath made plain the face thereof,

Doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin,

And cast in the principal wheat

And the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument,

Neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin;

But the fitches are beaten out with a staff,

And the cummin with a rod.

28 Bread corn is bruised;

Because he will not ever be threshing it,

Nor break it with the wheel of his cart,

Nor bruise it with his horsemen.

29 This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts,

Which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

23 Listen to me;

listen, and pay close attention.

24 Does a farmer always plow and never sow?

Is he forever cultivating the soil and never planting?

25 Does he not finally plant his seeds—

black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat—

each in its proper way,

and each in its proper place?

26 The farmer knows just what to do,

for God has given him understanding.

27 A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin;

rather, it is beaten with a light stick.

A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin;

instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.

28 Grain for bread is easily crushed,

so he doesn’t keep on pounding it.

He threshes it under the wheels of a cart,

but he doesn’t pulverize it.

29 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher,

and he gives the farmer great wisdom.

23 Give ear and hear my voice,

Listen and hear my speech.

24 Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow?

Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?

25 When he has leveled its surface,

Does he not sow the black cummin

And scatter the cummin,

Plant the wheat in rows,

The barley in the appointed place,

And the spelt in its place?

26 For He instructs him in right judgment,

His God teaches him.

27 For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge,

Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin;

But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick,

And the cummin with a rod.

28 Bread flour must be ground;

Therefore he does not thresh it forever,

Break it with his cartwheel,

Or crush it with his horsemen.

29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts,

Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.

23 Listen closely to what I tell you;

listen carefully to what I say.

24 A farmer does not plow his field all the time;

he does not go on working the soil.

25 He makes the ground flat and smooth.

Then he plants the dill and scatters the cumin.

He plants the wheat in rows,

the barley in its special place,

and other wheat as a border around the field.

26 His God teaches him

and shows him the right way.

27 A farmer doesn’t use heavy boards to crush dill;

he doesn’t use a wagon wheel to crush cumin.

He uses a small stick to break open the dill,

and with a stick he opens the cumin.

28 The grain is ground to make bread.

People do not ruin it by crushing it forever.

The farmer separates the wheat from the chaff with his cart,

but he does not let his horses grind it.

29 This lesson also comes from the Lord All-Powerful,

who gives wonderful advice, who is very wise.

23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. 24 Doth he that ploweth to sow plow continually? doth he continually open and harrow his ground? 25 When he hath levelled the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows, and the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in the border thereof? 26 For his God doth instruct him aright, and doth teach him. 27 For the fitches are not threshed with a sharp threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. 28 Bread grain is ground; for he will not be always threshing it: and though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he doth not grind it. 29 This also cometh forth from Jehovah of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.

23 Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. 24 Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow? Is he all day opening and breaking the clods of his land? 25 Doth he not, when he hath levelled the face thereof, cast abroad dill, and scatter cummin, and set the wheat in rows, and the barley in an appointed place, and the rye in its border? 26 His God doth instruct him in his judgment, he doth teach him. 27 For the dill is not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin; but dill is beaten out with a staff, and cummin with a rod. 28 Bread corn is crushed, because he will not ever be threshing it; and if he drove the wheels of his cart and his horses over it, he would not crush it. 29 This also cometh forth from Jehovah of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel, great in wisdom.

23 Open your ears, and listen to me! 

Pay attention, and hear me! 

24 Does a farmer go on plowing every day so he can plant? 

Does he continue to break up the soil and make furrows in the ground? 

25 When he has smoothed its surface, 

doesn’t he scatter black cumin seed and plant cumin? 

Doesn’t he plant wild wheat in rows? 

Doesn’t he put barley in its own area 

and winter wheat at its borders? 

26 God will guide him in judgment, 

and his God will teach him. 

27 Black cumin isn’t threshedwith a sledge, 

and wagon wheels aren’t rolled over cumin. 

Black cumin is beaten with a rod 

and cumin with a stick. 

28 Grain is ground into flour, but the grinding eventually stops. 

It will be threshed. 

The wheels of his cart will roll over it, 

but his horses won’t crush it. 

29 All of this has come from the Lord of Armies. 

His counsel is wonderful, and his wisdom is great. 

23 Listen and hear my voice.

Pay attention and hear what I say.

24 Does the plowman plow every day to plant seed?

Does he continuously break up and cultivate the soil?

25 When he has leveled its surface,

does he not then scatter black cumin and sow cumin?

He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots,

with spelt as their border.

26 His God teaches him order;

He instructs him.

27 Certainly black cumin is not threshed

with a threshing board,

and a cart wheel is not rolled over the cumin.

But black cumin is beaten out with a stick,

and cumin with a rod.

28 Bread grain is crushed,

but is not threshed endlessly.

Though the wheel of the farmer’s cart rumbles,

his horses do not crush it.

29 This also comes from the Lord of Hosts.

He gives wonderful advice;

He gives great wisdom.

23 Listen, and hear my voice;

Pay attention, and hear my speech.

24 Do those who plow for sowing plow continually?

Do they continually open and harrow their ground?

25 When they have leveled its surface,

do they not scatter dill, sow cummin,

and plant wheat in rows

and barley in its proper place,

and spelt as the border?

26 For they are well instructed;

their God teaches them.

27 Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge,

nor is a cart wheel rolled over cummin;

but dill is beaten out with a stick,

and cummin with a rod.

28 Grain is crushed for bread,

but one does not thresh it forever;

one drives the cart wheel and horses over it,

but does not pulverize it.

29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts;

he is wonderful in counsel,

and excellent in wisdom.

23 Listen, and hear my voice!

Listen attentively, and hear my word!

24 Is it all day that the plowman plows,

opens to sow seed, harrows his ground?

25 When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill,

and sow cumin seed,

and plant wheat in planted rows,

and barley in an appointed place,

and spelt grain as its border?

26 And his God instructs him about the prescription;

he teaches him.

27 For dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge,

nor is a wheel of a utility cart rolled over cumin,

but dill is beaten out with a stick,

and cumin with a rod.

28 Grain is crushed fine,

but certainly one does not thresh it forever;

and one drives the wheel of his cart,

but his horses do not crush it.

29 This also comes forth from Yahweh of hosts.

He is wonderful in advice;

he makes great wisdom.

23 Listen and hear my voice.

Pay attention to what I’m saying.

24 When a farmer plows in order to plant, does he plow without stopping?

Does he keep on breaking up the soil and making the field level?

25 When he’s made the surface even, doesn’t he plant caraway seeds?

Doesn’t he scatter cummin?

Doesn’t he plant wheat in its proper place?

Doesn’t he plant barley where it belongs?

Doesn’t he plant spelt along the edge of the field?

26 His God directs him.

He teaches him the right way to do his work.

27 Caraway seeds are beaten out with a rod.

They aren’t separated out under a threshing sled.

Cummin seeds are beaten out with a stick.

The wheel of a cart isn’t rolled over them.

28 Grain must be ground up to make bread.

A farmer separates it out.

But he doesn’t go on doing it forever.

He drives the wheels of a threshing cart over it.

But he doesn’t let the horses grind it to dust.

29 All of those insights come from the Lord who rules over all.

His advice is wonderful. His wisdom is glorious.

23 Give ear and hear my voice,

Listen and hear my words.

24 Does the farmer plow continually to plant seed?

Does he continually turn and harrow the ground?

25 Does he not level its surface

And sow dill and scatter cummin

And plant wheat in rows,

Barley in its place and rye within its area?

26 For his God instructs and teaches him properly.

27 For dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge,

Nor is the cartwheel driven over cummin;

But dill is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a club.

28 Grain for bread is crushed,

Indeed, he does not continue to thresh it forever.

Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually damage it,

He does not thresh it longer.

29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts,

Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great.