Ecclesiastes 9:11

Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events

9:11 Again,33 I observed this on the earth:34

the race is not always35 won by the swiftest,

the battle is not always won by the strongest;

prosperity36 does not always belong to those who are the wisest,

wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning,

nor does success37 always come to those with the most knowledge—

for time and chance may overcome38 them all.

33	tn Heb “I returned and.” In the Hebrew idiom, “to return and do” means “to do again.”
34	tn Heb “under the sun.”
35	tn The term “always” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation (five times in this verse) for clarity.
36	tn Heb “bread.”
37	tn Heb “favor.”
38	tn Heb “happen to.”