Ecclesiastes 9:11
<< Ecclesiastes 9:11 >>
New International Version (©1984)
I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

New Living Translation (©2007)
I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don't always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
I saw something else under the sun. The race isn't [won] by fast runners, or the battle by heroes. Wise people don't necessarily have food. Intelligent people don't necessarily have riches, and skilled people don't necessarily receive special treatment. But time and unpredictable events overtake all of them.

King James Bible
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.

American King James Version
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 happens to them all.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I turned me to another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skilful: but time and chance in all.

Darby Bible Translation
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 the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

English Revised Version
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 fame and chance happeneth to them all.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
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 happen to them all.

Young's Literal Translation
I have turned so as to see under the sun, that not to the swift is the race, nor to the mighty the battle, nor even to the wise bread, nor even to the intelligent wealth, nor even to the skilful grace, for time and chance happen with them all.

Geneva Study Bible

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 {f} chance happeneth to them all.

(f) Thus the worldlings say to prove that all things are lawful for them and attribute that to chance and fortune which is done by the providence of God.

Wesley's Notes

9:11 But time - There are times or seasons, casual to men, but known by God, in which alone he will give men success.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. This verse qualifies the sentiment, Ec 9:7-9. Earthly "enjoyments," however lawful in their place (Ec 3:1), are to give way when any work to be done for God requires it. Reverting to the sentiment (Ec 8:17), we ought, therefore, not only to work God's work "with might" (Ec 9:10), but also with the feeling that the event is wholly "in God's hand" (Ec 9:1).

race . not to the swift-(2Sa 18:23); spiritually (Zep 3:19; Ro 9:16).

nor . battle to . strong-(1Sa 17:47; 2Ch 14:9, 11, 15; Ps 33:16).

bread-livelihood.

favour-of the great.

chance-seemingly, really Providence. But as man cannot "find it out" (Ec 3:11), he needs "with all might" to use opportunities. Duties are ours; events, God's.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:11,12 Men's success seldom equals their expectations. We must use means, but not trust to them: if we succeed, we must give God the praise; if crossed, we must submit to his will. Those who put off the great concerns of their souls, are caught in Satan's net, which he baits with some worldly object, for which they reject or neglect the gospel, and go on in sin till they suddenly fall into destruction.


Deuteronomy 8:17 "Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.'
Deuteronomy 8:18 "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
1 Samuel 6:9 "Watch, if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance."
2 Chronicles 20:15 and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.
Psalm 76:5 The stouthearted were plundered, They sank into sleep; And none of the warriors could use his hands.
Amos 2:14 "Flight will perish from the swift, And the stalwart will not strengthen his power, Nor the mighty man save his life.
Amos 2:15 "He who grasps the bow will not stand his ground, The swift of foot will not escape, Nor will he who rides the horse save his life.
Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. (NASB ©1995)

Battle Bread Chance Favor Favour Happeneth Race Riches Skill Strong Sun Swift Time Understanding Wise


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.

returned 2:12 4:1,4 Mal 3:18

that the race 1Sa 17:50 2Sa 2:18-23 17:14,23 Ps 33:16,17 73:6,7 147:10,11 Jer 9:23 46:6 Am 2:14-16

but 2:14,15 3:14-17 7:13 1Sa 2:3-10 Job 5:11-14 34:29 Pr 21:30,31 La 3:37,38 Da 4:35 Eph 1:11

Bible Gateway: Ecclesiastes Chapter 9 Verse 11 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: ability again all and battle bread brilliant but chance come discerning does else favor food for happen have I is learned men neither nor not of or overtake race saw seen something strong sun swift that the them time to under warriors wealth wise

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright ;© 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.All Rights Reserved.

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned and saw under the sun (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

Ecclesiastes 9:11 Bible Software
Ecclesiastes 9:11 Biblia Paralela
Ecclesiastes 9:11 Chinese Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:11 French Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:11 German Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:11 Danish Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:11 Swedish Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:11 Norwegian Bible
Ecclesiastes 9:11 Multilingual Bible

Online Bible