Ecclesiastes 9:12

For 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

Updated Brenton Septuagint

In The King James Version

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

In Context

11I 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

13This I also saw to be wisdom under the sun, 1 And it is great before me: 1

Read all of Ecclesiastes 9

Cross References

Psalms 11:6Because of the misery of the poor, 1 And because of the sighing of the needy, 1 Now will I arise, saith the Lord, 1 I will set them in safety; I will speak to them thereof openly. 1

Psalms 73:19Deliver not to the wild beasts a soul that gives praise to thee: 1 Forget not forever the souls of thy poor. 1

Proverbs 7:22And he followed her, being gently led on, 1 And that as an ox is led to the slaughter, 1 And as a dog to bonds, 1 Or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow: 1

Proverbs 29:6A great snare is spread for a sinner: 1 But the righteous shall be in joy and gladness. 1

Ecclesiastes 8:8There is no man that has power over the spirit 1 To retain the spirit; 1 And there is no power in the day of death: 1 And there is no discharge in the day of battle; 1 Neither shall ungodliness save her votary. 1

Isaiah 30:13therefore shall this sin be to you as a wall suddenly falling when a strong city has been taken, of which the fall is very near at hand.

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 9:12-13

The Disappointment of Hopes. 11 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. 12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. The preacher here, for a… Read the whole commentary →

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