Ecclesiastes 9:11-12
Christian Standard Bible
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 certainly no one knows 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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Ecclesiastes 9:11-12
International Standard Version
11 I 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.
12 In 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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