Ecclesiastes 3:8

3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 8:8

8:8 Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it,

so no one has power over the day of his death.

Just as no one can be discharged during the battle,

so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events

9:11 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 10  them all.


tn Heb “There is not a man who has mastery over the wind to restrain the wind.”

tn The word “his” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

tn Heb “There is no discharge in war.”

tn Heb “its owners.”

tn Heb “I returned and.” In the Hebrew idiom, “to return and do” means “to do again.”

tn Heb “under the sun.”

tn The term “always” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation (five times in this verse) for clarity.

tn Heb “bread.”

tn Heb “favor.”

tn Heb “happen to.”