11 I again saw under the sun that the (A)race is not to the swift and the (B)battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor (C)wealth to the discerning, nor favor to the skillful; for time and (D)chance overtake them all. 12 For indeed, a person does not (E)know his time: like fish that are caught in a treacherous net and (F)birds caught in a snare, so the sons of mankind are (G)ensnared at an evil time when it (H)suddenly falls on them.

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The Limitations of Wisdom

11 Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift,(A) or the battle to the strong,(B) or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them. 12 For man certainly does not know his time:(C) like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a trap,(D) so people are trapped in an evil time(E) as it suddenly falls on them.(F)

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11 I 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)

12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:

As fish are caught in a cruel net,
    or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times(E)
    that fall unexpectedly upon them.(F)

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