Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

English Standard Version

Wisdom Better Than Folly

¹¹^(A)Again I saw that under the sun ^(B)the race is not to the swift, nor ^(C)the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and ^(D)chance ^(E)happen to them all. ¹²For man ^(F)does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and ^(G)like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are ^(H)snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

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Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

International Standard Version

¹¹I considered and observed on earth the following:

The race doesn’t go to the swift,
    nor the battle to the strong,
nor food to the wise,
    nor wealth to the smart,
nor recognition to the skilled.
    Instead, timing and circumstances meet them all.

¹²In addition, no human being knows his time:

Like fish captured in a cruel net,
or as birds caught in a snare,
so also are human beings caught by bad timing
that surprises them.

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Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

New International Version

¹¹I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,^(A)
nor does food come to the wise^(B)
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance^(C) happen to them all.^(D)