Mark 4:4

And it came to passe as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the foules of the aire came, & deuoured it vp.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan

as he was sowing, some {seed} fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

and it came to pass, as he sowed, some `seed' fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.
- American Standard Version (1901)

And while he was doing it, some was dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took it for food.
- Basic English Bible

And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it.
- Darby Bible

And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it.
- Webster's Bible

As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up.
- Weymouth Bible

and it happened, as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
- World English Bible

And the while he sowith, summe seed felde aboute the weie, and briddis of heuene camen, and eeten it.
- Wycliffe Bible

and it came to pass, in the sowing, some fell by the way, and the fowls of the heaven did come and devour it;
- Youngs Literal Bible

Wesley's Notes for Mark 4:4

4:2 He taught them many things by parables - After the usual manner of the eastern nations, to make his instructions more agreeable to them, and to impress them the more upon attentive hearers. A parable signifies not only a simile or comparison, and sometimes a proverb, but any kind of instructive speech, wherein spiritual things are explained and illustrated by natural, #Prov 1:6|. To understand a proverb and the interpretation - The proverb is the literal sense, the interpretation is the spiritual resting in the literal sense killeth, but the spiritual giveth life.

4:3 Hearken - This word he probably spoke with a loud voice, to stop the noise and hurry of the people.