Ecclesiastes 9:11

I returned, and saw under the sun, 1 That the race is not to the swift, 1 Nor the battle to the strong, 1 Nor yet bread to the wise, 1 Nor yet wealth to men of understanding, 1 Nor yet favor to men of knowledge; 1 For time and chance will happen to them all. 1

Updated Brenton Septuagint

In The King James Version

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

In Context

10Whatsoever thy hand shall find to do, 1 Do with all thy might; 1 For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, 1 Nor wisdom, in Hades whither thou goest. 1

12For surely man also knows not his time: 1 As fish that are taken in an evil net, 1 And as birds that are caught in a snare; 1 Even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, 1 When it falls suddenly upon them. 1

Read all of Ecclesiastes 9

Cross References

1 Samuel 2:3Boast not, and utter not high things; 1 Let not high-sounding words come out of your mouth, 1 For the Lord is a God of knowledge, 1 And God prepares his own designs. 1

2 Samuel 2:18And there were there the three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was swift in his feet as a roe in the field.

2 Samuel 17:23And Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, and he saddled his ass, and rose and departed to his house into his city; and he gave orders to his household, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.

Job 5:11Who exalts the lowly, 1 And raises up them that are lost: 1

Psalms 33:16The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, 1 And his ears are open to their prayer: 1

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 9:5-11

The Consequences of Death; The Proper Enjoyment of Life. 4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 9:11