Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 9:11–12

¹¹I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all. ¹²For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 9

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Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I saw	וְרָאֹ֣ה	wə·rā·’ōh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H7200 see
something else	שַׁ֜בְתִּי	šaḇ·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7725 turn back, return
under	תַֽחַת־	ṯa·ḥaṯ-	Preposition	H8478 the under part
the sun	הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ	haš·še·meš	Article; Noun - common singular	H8121 sun
The race	הַמֵּר֜וֹץ	ham·mê·rō·wṣ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4793 running, race
is not	לֹא֩	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to the swift	לַקַּלִּ֨ים	laq·qal·lîm	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H7031 light, swift, fleet
nor the battle	הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה	ham·mil·ḥā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4421 battle, war
to the strong	לַגִּבּוֹרִ֣ים	lag·gib·bō·w·rîm	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H1368 strong, mighty
neither	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
the bread	לֶ֙חֶם֙	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular	H3899 bread, food
to the wise	לַחֲכָמִ֥ים	la·ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
nor	וְגַ֨ם	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
the wealth	עֹ֔שֶׁר	‘ō·šer	Noun - masculine singular	H6239 be or become rich
to the intelligent	לַנְּבֹנִים֙	lan·nə·ḇō·nîm	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H995 discern
nor	וְגַ֛ם	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
the favor	חֵ֑ן	ḥên	Noun - masculine singular	H2580 favour, grace
to the skillful	לַיֹּדְעִ֖ים	lay·yō·ḏə·‘îm	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3045 know
For	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
time	עֵ֥ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
and chance	וָפֶ֖גַע	wā·p̄e·ḡa‘	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H6294 occurrence, chance
happen	יִקְרֶ֥ה	yiq·reh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7136 encounter, meet, befall
to all	כֻּלָּֽם׃	kul·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3605 the whole, all

Ecclesiastes 9:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֡י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
surely	גַּם֩	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
no	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
man	הָאָדָ֜ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
knows	יֵדַ֨ע	yê·ḏa‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
his time	עִתּ֗וֹ	‘it·tōw	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6256 time
Like fish	כַּדָּגִים֙	kad·dā·ḡîm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1709 fish
caught	שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙	šen·ne·’ĕ·ḥā·zîm	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H270 grasp, take hold, take possession
in a cruel	רָעָ֔ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
net	בִּמְצוֹדָ֣ה	bim·ṣō·w·ḏāh	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H4685 siege-works
or birds	וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔ים	wə·ḵaṣ·ṣip·po·rîm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article; Noun - common plural	H6833 bird
trapped	הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת	hā·’ă·ḥu·zō·wṯ	Article; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural	H270 grasp, take hold, take possession
in a snare	בַּפָּ֑ח	bap·pāḥ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6341 bird-trap
so men	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
are ensnared	יֽוּקָשִׁים֙	yū·qā·šîm	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural	H3369 lay a bait or lure
in an evil	רָעָ֔ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
time	לְעֵ֣ת	lə·‘êṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - common singular construct	H6256 time
that suddenly	פִּתְאֹֽם׃	piṯ·’ōm	Adverb	H6597 suddenness
falls	כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹל	kə·šet·tip·pō·wl	Preposition-k, Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5307 fall, lie
upon them	עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 Jeremiah 9:23 · Proverbs 21:30–31 · Lamentations 3:37–38 · Job 5:11–14 · Ecclesiastes 3:17 · Amos 2:14–16 · Ecclesiastes 3:14 · Psalm 147:10–11 · Ephesians 1:11 · 2 Chronicles 20:15 · Ecclesiastes 2:14–15 · Deuteronomy 8:18

Ecclesiastes 9:12 1 Thessalonians 5:3 · Luke 21:34–36 · Proverbs 6:15 · Proverbs 29:6 · Job 18:8–10 · Luke 12:20 · Psalm 73:18–20 · Ecclesiastes 8:5–7 · 2 Peter 2:12 · Proverbs 7:22–23 · 2 Timothy 2:26 · Luke 19:42–44

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.