Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

¹¹ 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.

¹² For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.

returned (v.11) — resumed his investigation

chance (v.11) = Incident, i.e., and unforeseen event

his time (v.12) — the day of his death

The argument of verse 11 [and the first phrase of verse 12] is, that because man is ignorant of how long he has to live therefore he is the helpless toy of time and chance; and his success in life, as viewed from “under the sun,” is not dependent upon swiftness, nor strength, nor cleverness. The statement of verse 12 is that man is suddenly ensnared by death as birds and fishes by a net. This fact reveals his ignorance and his helplessness. — Williams, pages 446-447.