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.
I looked again at life on earth and saw that the fastest runners don't always win races, and the strongest warriors don't always win battles. Wise people don't always have enough food, intelligent people don't always become wealthy, and skilled people don't always receive recognition. Instead, timing and unexpected circumstances affect everyone.
The writer is observing that success in life doesn't always go to those who seem most qualified - sometimes it's just about being in the right place at the right time.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes from Ecclesiastes, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, written around 935 BC. The book reflects on the meaning of life and the apparent randomness of earthly success and failure. Solomon, despite his great wisdom and wealth, observed that human achievement often doesn't follow predictable patterns.
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