American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 9:12
12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
- New International Version (NIV)Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Ecclesiastes 9:12
10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest. 11I 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. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. 13I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me: 14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 9Ecclesiastes 9:12 word by word
כִּ֡י גַּם֩ לֹֽא־יֵדַ֨ע הָאָדָ֜ם אֶת־עִתּ֗וֹ כַּדָּגִים֙ שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙ בִּמְצוֹדָ֣ה רָעָ֔ה וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔ים הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת בַּפָּ֑ח כָּהֵ֗ם יֽוּקָשִׁים֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָֽאָדָ֔ם לְעֵ֣ת רָעָ֔ה כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹל עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם פִּתְאֹֽם׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 9:12
- Ecclesiastes 8:5Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment:
- Luke 19:42saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
- 2 Corinthians 6:2(for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation):
- 1 Peter 2:12having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- Proverbs 7:22He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or asone infetters to the correction of the fool;
- Habakkuk 1:14and makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
- 2 Timothy 2:26and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.
- Job 18:8For he is cast into a net by his own feet, And he walketh upon the toils.
- Psalms 11:6Upon the wicked he will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.
- Psalms 73:18Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction.
- Proverbs 6:15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
- Proverbs 29:6In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare; But the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
- Isaiah 30:13therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly in an instant.
- Luke 12:20But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?
- Luke 17:26And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
- Luke 21:34But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12As the birds that are caught - Man acts so heedlessly, notwithstanding all his wisdom, and all his warnings, that he is often taken, as a fish is, by the baited hook; and the bird by the baited snare. And thus, an evil time, like the snare, gin, trap, hook, falleth suddenly upon them; and they are taken in a moment, and have no means of escaping. How frequently do we see these comparisons illustrated!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Read these six verses connectedly, in order to arrive at the meaning of the writer; and compare Ecclesiastes 2:1-12. After the description Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 of the portionless condition of the dead, the next thought which occurs is that the man who is prosperous and active should simply enjoy his portion all through this life Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; and then Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 follows the correcting thought (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 note)…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12From observing life, it seems death often lacks meaning. Why do some people die while others live longer? God's decision on this is unpredictable (Ecclesiastes 7:13–14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. his time--namely, of death (Ec 7:15; Is 13:22). Hence the danger of delay in doing the work of God, as one knows not when his opportunity will end (Ec 9:10). evil net--fatal to them. The unexpected suddenness of the capture is the point of comparison. So the second coming of Jesus Christ, "as a snare" (Lu 21:35). evil time--as an "evil net," fatal to them.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 9:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries