Ecclesiastes 9:11

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9 ¹Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; ^afor that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.

10 ^aWhatever your hand finds to do, do it with your ^bmight; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

11 I returned ^aand saw under the sun that—
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and ^bchance happen to them all.

12 For ^aman also does not know his time:
Like fish taken in a cruel net,
Like birds caught in a snare,
So the sons of men are ^bsnared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them.

Wisdom Superior to Folly

13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:

14 ^aThere was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great¹ snares around it.

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

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Ecclesiastes 9:12 >>

Ecclesiastes 9:11

The race is not to the swift - It is not by swiftness, nor by strength and valor, that races are gained and battles won. God causes the lame often to take the prey, the prize; and so works that the weak overthrow the strong; therefore, no man should confide in himself. All things are under the government, and at the disposal of God.

But time and chance - eth , time or opportunity, and pega , incident or occurrence: -

Happeneth to them all - Every man has what may be called time and space to act in, and opportunity to do a particular work. But in this Time and Opportunity there is Incident, what may fall in; and Occurrence, what may meet and frustrate an attempt. These things should be wisely weighed, and seriously balanced; for those four things belong to every human action. While you have Time, seek an Opportunity to do what is right; but calculate on hinderances and oppositions, because time and opportunity have their Incident and Occurrence. Coverdale translates this verse well: "I sawe that in runnynge, it helpeth not to be swift; in batayll, it helpeth not to be stronge; to fedynge, it helpeth not to be wyse; to riches, it helpeth not to be sutyll; to be had in favoure, it helpeth not to be connynge; but that all lyeth in time and fortune."

<< Ecclesiastes 9:10

Ecclesiastes 9:12 >>

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