APAD: The race is not to the swift,

nor the battle to the strong.

[Ecclesiastes 9:11 (KJV): 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.]

 

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This became a favorite only because I rarely won any race or battle. Naturally,

I hated them. Who invented them? What for? The proverb was a great comfort.

 

It was Jesus, however, who saved me from falling for hatred and loathing for

good for He said that whoever wants to be the first shall be the last. He

completely turned things around and I was guaranteed a spot on the podium.

 

I was not alone. Here is what someone wrote down after the annual SF Marathon.

    

    A Steal

 

    He got just as high as anyone

    Running a hasty, tasteless sub-3 marathon.

    By sticking with the enlightened squad, however,

    He was blessed with something better,

    The time necessary to actually treasure

    The Crissy Field, the Golden Gate Bridge, et cetera,

    While pacing on them,

    And meanwhile, accruing brownie points with Him.

    He was decorated amid applause and cheers

    At the finish line, from folks who truly

    Appreciated the beauty of the sport

    And the suffering he had done

    (For at that point he didn't look tip-top,

    Truth to be told).

    Oh, the pasta, the gimbap, and the draft beer.

    He had had nothing like them, he'd swear.

    But no, that was not all, as he was also chosen

    to be among the first in heaven.

    What a steal!

所有跟帖： 

• Good one, race may won u the battle of life , a swift win -移花接木- ♂ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 10:26:17

• might lose u the eternal war -移花接木- ♂ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 10:29:17

• 中秋快樂！占位點讚。回頭來細讀。：） -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 10:28:06

• 中秋快樂！ -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 10:33:08

• That The Race Is Not To The Swift Or Strong But To Those Who -方外居士- ♂ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 12:38:05

• Endure To The End -方外居士- ♂ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 12:38:22

• amen! -移花接木- ♂ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 12:56:50

• 非常有智慧的一段話。傳道書，是聖經中五本智慧書之一。特地在網上找了中文版，如下： -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 17:06:40

• 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 -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 17:08:13

• 是在乎當時的機會。 -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 09/29/2023 postreply 17:08:32

• 盈盈翻譯的好！足見雙語功底！ -暖冬cool夏- ♀ (0 bytes) () 09/30/2023 postreply 09:55:58