Ecclesiastes 9:11 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 t…

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. "

— Ecclesiastes 9:11, American Standard Version

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Ecclesiastes 9:11 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • 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.”

  • WEB

    “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.”

  • NET

    “Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge– for time and chance may overcome them all.”

  • DRB

    “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.”

  • BBE

    “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.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

Ecclesiastes 9 — Context

8

Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack oil.

9

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun.

10

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.

11

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.

12

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13

I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:

14

There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ecclesiastes 9:11 say?
Ecclesiastes 9:11 in the American Standard Version reads: “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. ”
Where is Ecclesiastes 9:11 in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 9:11 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 9, verse 11.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional; identified as "the Preacher, son of David"). It was written c. 940 BC.
What is the book of Ecclesiastes about?
Ecclesiastes is a candid meditation on life "under the sun" — its pleasures, its pains, and its apparent vanity. The Preacher tries wisdom, wealth, work, and pleasure, finds them all empty without God, and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole of man.
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes explores themes including Vanity, Time, Meaning, Fear of God, Mortality. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ecclesiastes 9:11.
What translation should I read Ecclesiastes 9:11 in?
Ecclesiastes 9:11 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ecclesiastes 9:11?
Ecclesiastes 9:11 reads (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. ” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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