Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

New Living Translation

¹¹ I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.

¹² People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.