Ecclesiastes 9:11-13

New International Reader's Version

Races aren’t always won by those who run fast.
    Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong.
Wise people don’t always have plenty of food.
    Clever people aren’t always wealthy.
    Those who have learned a lot aren’t always successful.
God controls the timing of every event.
    He also controls how things turn out.

Fish are caught in nets.
    Birds are taken in traps.
And people are trapped by hard times
    that come when they don’t expect them.