²⁷ And then continues sleeping and rising night and day while the seed sprouts and grows and ^[a]increases—he knows not how.

²⁸ The earth produces [acting] by itself—first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

²⁹ But when the grain is ripe and permits, immediately he ^[b]sends forth [the reapers] and puts in the sickle, because the harvest stands ready.