15 I have seen everything during my ^1alifetime of futility; there is ^ba righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is ^ca wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness. 16 Do not be excessively ^arighteous and do not ^bbe overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? 17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you ^adie before your time? 18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not ¹let go of the other; for the one who ^afears God comes forth with ²both of them.

19 ^aWisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Indeed, ^athere is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. 21 Also, do not ¹take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant ^acursing you. 22 For ¹you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.

23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” ^abut it was far from me. 24 What has been is remote and ^aexceedingly ¹mysterious. ^bWho can discover it? 25 I ^1adirected my ²mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness. 26 And I discovered more ^abitter than death the woman whose heart is ^bsnares and nets, whose hands are chains. ^cOne who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but ^dthe sinner will be captured by her.

27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28 which ¹I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a ^awoman among all these. 29 Behold, I have found only this, that ^aGod made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

15 I have seen everything during my ^1alifetime of futility; there is ^ba righteous person who perishes in his righteousness, and there is ^ca wicked person who prolongs his life in his wickedness. 16 Do not be excessively ^arighteous, and do not ^bbe overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? 17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be foolish. Why should you ^adie ¹before your time? 18 It is good that you grasp one thing while not ¹letting go of the other; for one who ^afears God comes out with ²both of them.

19 ^aWisdom strengthens a wise person more than ten rulers who are in a city. 20 Indeed, ^athere is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and does not ever sin. 21 Also, do not ¹take seriously all the words which are spoken, so that you do not hear your servant ^acursing you, 22 for ¹you know that even you have cursed others many times as well.

23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” ^abut wisdom was far from me. 24 What has been is remote and ^avery ¹mysterious. ^bWho can discover it? 25 I ^1adirected my ²mind to know and to investigate, and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of foolishness and the foolishness of insanity. 26 And I discovered as more ^abitter than death the woman whose heart is ^bsnares and nets, whose hands are chains. ^cOne who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but ^dthe sinner will be captured by her.

27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “by adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28 which ¹I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a ^awoman among all these. 29 Behold, I have found only this, that ^aGod made people upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

15 I have seen everything during my fleeting ^adays of futility; there is a ^brighteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is ^ca wicked man who ¹lives a long life in spite of his wickedness. 16 Do not be excessively ^arighteous like those given to self-conceit, and do not ^bbe overly wise (pretentious)—why should you bring yourself to ruin? 17 Do not be excessively or willfully wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you ^adie before your time? 18 It is good that you take hold of one thing (righteousness) and also not let go of the other (wisdom) ; for the one who ^afears and worships God with awe-filled reverence will come forth with both of them.

19 ^aWisdom strengthens the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. Ps 127:1; 2+@Tim 3:15 20 Indeed, ^athere is not a righteous man on earth who always does good and who never sins. Is 53:6; Rom 3:23 21 Also, do not take seriously everything that is said, so that you will not hear your servant ^acursing you, 22 for you also know that you too have cursed others many times.

23 I have tested all this with wisdom. I said, “I will be wise independently of God,” ^abut true wisdom was far from me. 24 Whatever has been is far off, deeply remote and ^aexceedingly mysterious. ^bWho can discover it for it is beyond the grasp of man? Job 28:12-28; 1+@Cor 2:9-16 25 I ^aturned around and directed my heart to know, to investigate and to seek skillful and godly wisdom and the reason for things, and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness leading to stupidity and recklessness. 26 And I discovered that of all irrational sins none has been so destructive in beguiling one away from God as immoral women for more ^abitter than death is the woman whose heart is composed of ^bsnares and nets, and whose hands are chains. ^cWhoever pleases God will escape from her, but ^dthe sinner will be taken captive by her evil.

27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “while adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28 which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one ¹man among a thousand who pleases God, but I have not found such a ^awoman among all these a thousand in my harem. 1+@Kin 11:3 29 Behold, I have found only this as a reason: ^aGod made man upright and uncorrupted, but they both men and women have sought out many devices for evil.”