Ecclesiastes 9:11-13
Living Bible
11 Again I looked throughout the earth and saw that the swiftest person does not always win the race, nor the strongest man the battle, and that wise men are often poor, and skillful men are not necessarily famous; but it is all by chance, by happening to be at the right place at the right time. 12 A man never knows when he is going to run into bad luck. He is like a fish caught in a net, or a bird caught in a snare.
13 Here is another thing that has made a deep impression on me as I have watched human affairs:
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Ecclesiastes 9:11-13
New International Version
11 I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,(A)
nor does food come to the wise(B)
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance(C) happen to them all.(D)
12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times(E)
that fall unexpectedly upon them.(F)
Wisdom Better Than Folly
13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom(G) that greatly impressed me:
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