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Ecclesiastes 9:11

I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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 favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

KJV

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.

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Commentary

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Original language & word study

29 tagged words
OriginalTransliterationMeaningWord study
שַׁ֜בְתִּיShav.tiI returnedH7725 →
וְרָאֹ֣הve.ra.'Ohand I sawH7200 →
תַֽחַת־ta.chat-underH8478 →
הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁha.She.meshthe sunH8121 →
כִּ֣יkithatH3588 →
לֹא֩lo'notH3808 →
לַקַּלִּ֨יםla.ka.Lim[belongs] to the swiftH7031 →
הַמֵּר֜וֹץha.me.Rotzthe raceH4793 →
וְלֹ֧אve.Lo'and notH3808 →
לַגִּבּוֹרִ֣יםla.gi.bo.Rim[belongs] to the mighty [men]H1368 →
הַמִּלְחָמָ֗הha.mil.cha.Mahthe battleH4421 →
וְ֠גַםVe.gamand alsoH1571 →
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808 →
לַחֲכָמִ֥יםla.cha.kha.Mim[belongs] to <the> wise [people]H2450 →
לֶ֙חֶם֙le.chemfoodH3899 →
וְגַ֨םve.Gamand alsoH1571 →
לֹ֤אlo'notH3808 →
לַנְּבֹנִים֙la.ne.vo.Nim[belongs] to the understandingH995 →
עֹ֔שֶׁר'O.sherwealthH6239 →
וְגַ֛םve.Gamand alsoH1571 →
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808 →
לַיֹּדְעִ֖יםlai.yo.de.'Im[belongs] to the knowledgeableH3045 →
חֵ֑ןChenfavorH2580 →
כִּי־ki-forH3588 →
עֵ֥ת'ettimeH6256 →
וָפֶ֖גַעva.Fe.ga'and chanceH6294 →
יִקְרֶ֥הyik.Rehit happens toH7136 →
אֶת־'et-<obj.>H853 →
כֻּלָּֽם׃ku.Lamall of themH3605 →

The walk

Related verses

18 strongest cross-references

The gold bar shows how strongly the cross-reference sources tie the two verses together: a long bar means many compiled references make the connection, a short one means few.

Jeremiah 9:23This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.Proverbs 21:30–31There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.Lamentations 3:37–38Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?Job 5:11–14He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety.1 Corinthians 9:24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.Psalms 127:1Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.Ecclesiastes 3:17I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”Psalms 147:10–11He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legpower of the man.Ecclesiastes 3:14I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.Amos 2:14–16Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by his strength, and the mighty will not save his life.Ephesians 1:11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,Proverbs 21:31A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.2 Chronicles 20:15And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.Ecclesiastes 2:14–15The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.Deuteronomy 8:18But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day.Ecclesiastes 4:4I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.Jeremiah 46:6“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.Psalms 147:10He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legpower of the man.

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About Ecclesiastes

King Solomon in Old Age — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
King Solomon in Old Age — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Ecclesiastes: the study guide →Read chapter 9 →The featured study →
Continue: Ecclesiastes 9 →