Here’s something else I’ve seen on this earth. Races aren’t always won by those who run fast. Battles aren’t always won by those who are strong. Wise people don’t always have plenty of food. Clever people aren’t always wealthy. Those who have learned a lot aren’t always successful. God controls the timing of every event. He also controls how things turn out.

我又转念：见日光之下，快跑的未必能赢；力战的未必得胜；智慧的未必得粮食；明哲的未必得资财；灵巧的未必得喜悦。所临到众人的是在乎当时的机会。

我转而回顾日光之下，快跑的未必能赢，强壮的未必战胜，智慧的未必得粮食，聪明的未必得财富，有学问的未必得人喜悦，全在乎各人遇上的时候和机会。

我转而回顾日光之下，快跑的未必能赢，强壮的未必战胜，智慧的未必得粮食，聪明的未必得财富，有学问的未必得人喜悦，全在乎各人遇上的时候和机会。

我又发现，日光之下，跑得快的未必能得奖，强大的未必能得胜，智者未必得温饱，聪明人未必有财富，博学者未必受爱戴，因为时机和境遇左右众人。

我又看见在日光之下，跑得快的未必得奖，勇士未必战胜，智慧的未必得粮食，精明的未必致富，博学的未必得人赏识，因为时机和际遇左右众人。

我转眼又看到日光之下：快跑的未必赛赢，勇士未必战胜，有智慧的未必得粮食，有悟性的未必得财富，明智者未必得恩惠；因为时机和机遇胜过一切。

我又轉念：見日光之下，快跑的未必能贏；力戰的未必得勝；智慧的未必得糧食；明哲的未必得資財；靈巧的未必得喜悅。所臨到眾人的是在乎當時的機會。

我轉而回顧日光之下，快跑的未必能贏，強壯的未必戰勝，智慧的未必得糧食，聰明的未必得財富，有學問的未必得人喜悅，全在乎各人遇上的時候和機會。

我轉而回顧日光之下，快跑的未必能贏，強壯的未必戰勝，智慧的未必得糧食，聰明的未必得財富，有學問的未必得人喜悅，全在乎各人遇上的時候和機會。

我又發現，日光之下，跑得快的未必能得獎，強大的未必能得勝，智者未必得溫飽，聰明人未必有財富，博學者未必受愛戴，因為時機和境遇左右眾人。

我又看見在日光之下，跑得快的未必得獎，勇士未必戰勝，智慧的未必得糧食，精明的未必致富，博學的未必得人賞識，因為時機和際遇左右眾人。

我又看：在日光之下、賽跑未必給輕快的先跑到，戰爭未必給勇士得勝利，糧食也未必給智慧人得着，財富未必給明達人賺得到，恩寵也未必給有知識的人博得着：他們所碰到的就只是定時與機會。

我轉眼又看到日光之下：快跑的未必賽贏，勇士未必戰勝，有智慧的未必得糧食，有悟性的未必得財富，明智者未必得恩惠；因為時機和機遇勝過一切。

我轉觀日下、疾趨者未必先至、力戰者未必獲勝、智者未必得食、達者未必得財、有技能者未必蒙恩寵、凡事皆由時勢而成、

我又遍覽天下事、疾趨未必先至、勁旅未必獲捷、有智未必得餱糧、聰明未必得貨財、機巧未必沐恩寵、凡百之事、悉由偶然而至。

我又觀日下之事、見疾趨者未必先至、有力者未必得勝、智者未必得食、哲者未必得財、有識者未必蒙恩、凡眾所遇、或隨時會、或屬偶然、

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.

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.

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.

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.

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 the skillful; for time and chance overtake them all.

I returned and 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 chance happen to them all.

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.

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.

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.

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.

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.

The Lord says,“ Do not let wise people brag about how wise they are. Do not let strong people boast about how strong they are. Do not let rich people brag about how rich they are.

No wisdom, wise saying or plan can succeed against the Lord.You can prepare a horse for the day of battle. But the power to win comes from the Lord.

Suppose people order something to happen. It won’t happen unless the Lord has planned it.Troubles and good things alike come to people because the Most High God has commanded them to come.

He lifts up people who are lowly in spirit. He lifts up those who are sad. He keeps them safe.He stops the evil plans of those who are clever. The work of their hands doesn’t succeed.Some people think they are so wise. But God catches them in their own tricks. He sweeps away the evil plans of sinful people.Darkness covers them in the daytime. At noon they feel their way around as if it were night.

Your fastest runners will not escape. The strongest people will not get away. Even soldiers will not be able to save their own lives.Men who are armed with bows will lose the battle. Soldiers who are quick on their feet will not escape. Horsemen will not be able to save their own lives.Even your bravest soldiers will run away naked on that day,” announces the Lord.

I said to myself,“ God will judge godly and sinful people alike. He has a time for every act. He has a time to judge everything that is done.”

Jahaziel said,“ King Jehoshaphat, listen! All you who live in Judah and Jerusalem, listen! The Lord says to you,‘ Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope because of this huge army. The battle is not yours. It is God’s.

I know that everything God does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it. And nothing can be taken from it. God does that so people will have respect for him.

“ Those who run fast can’t get away. Those who are strong can’t escape. In the north by the Euphrates River they trip and fall.

A king isn’t saved just because his army is big. A soldier doesn’t escape just because he is very strong.People can’t trust a horse to save them either. Though it is very strong, it can’t save them.

He doesn’t take pleasure in the strength of horses. He doesn’t take delight in the strong legs of warriors.The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for him. They put their hope in his faithful love.

The eyes of a wise person see things clearly. A person who is foolish lives in darkness. But I finally realized that death catches up with both of them.Then I said to myself,“ What happens to a foolish person will catch up with me too. So what do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself,“ That doesn’t have any meaning either.”

I also saw that a person works hard and accomplishes a lot. But they do it only because they want what another person has. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ahithophel saw that his advice wasn’t being followed. So he put a saddle on his donkey. He started out for his house in his hometown. When he arrived, he made everything ready for his death. He made out his will. Then he killed himself. And so he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

Absalom and all the men of Israel agreed. They said,“ The advice of Hushai, the Arkite, is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” The Lord had decided that Ahithophel’s good advice would fail. The Lord wanted to bring horrible trouble on Absalom.

I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth. I saw the tears of those who are suffering. They don’t have anyone to comfort them. Power is on the side of those who treat them badly. Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.

I decided to think about wisdom. I also thought about foolish pleasure. What more can a new king do? Can he do anything more than others have already done?

“ Don’t keep talking so proudly. Don’t let your mouth say such proud things. The Lord is a God who knows everything. He judges everything people do.“ The bows of great heroes are broken. But those who trip and fall are made strong.Those who used to be full have to work for food. But those who used to be hungry aren’t hungry anymore. The woman who couldn’t have children has seven of them now. But the woman who has had many children is sad now because hers have died.“ The Lord causes people to die. He also gives people life. He brings people down to the grave. He also brings people up from death.The Lord makes people poor. He also makes people rich. He brings people down. He also lifts people up.He raises poor people up from the trash pile. He lifts needy people out of the ashes. He lets them sit with princes. He gives them places of honor.“ The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord. On them he has set the world.He guards the paths of his faithful servants. But evil people will lie silent in their dark graves.“ People don’t win just because they are strong.Those who oppose the Lord will be totally destroyed. The Most High God will thunder from heaven. The Lord will judge the earth from one end to the other.“ He will give power to his king. He will give honor to his anointed one.”

We were also chosen to belong to him. God decided to choose us long ago in keeping with his plan. He works out everything to fit his plan and purpose.

Their pride is like a necklace. They put on meanness as if it were their clothes.Many sins come out of their hard and stubborn hearts. There is no limit to the evil things they can think up.

But remember the Lord your God. He gives you the ability to produce wealth. That shows he stands by the terms of the covenant he made with you. He promised it to your people of long ago. And he’s still faithful to his covenant today.

Think about what God has done. Who can make straight what he has made crooked?

Then once again you will see the difference between godly people and sinful people. And you will see the difference between those who serve me and those who do not.

But if he remains silent, who can judge him? If he turns his face away, who can see him? He rules over individual people and nations alike.

He considers all the nations on earth to be nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven. He does what he wants with the nations of the earth. No one can hold back his hand. No one can say to him,“ What have you done?”

The three sons of Zeruiah were there. Their names were Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was as quick on his feet as a wild antelope.He chased Abner. He didn’t turn to the right or the left as he chased him.Abner looked behind him. He asked,“ Asahel, is that you?”“ It is,” he answered.Then Abner said to him,“ Turn to the right or the left. Fight one of the young men. Take his weapons away from him.” But Asahel wouldn’t stop chasing him.Again Abner warned Asahel,“ Stop chasing me! If you don’t, I’ll strike you down. Then how could I look your brother Joab in the face?”But Asahel refused to give up the chase. So Abner drove the dull end of his spear into Asahel’s stomach. The spear came out through his back. He fell and died right there on the spot. Every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

So David won the fight against Goliath with a sling and a stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. He did it without even using a sword.