Add parallel Print Page Options

25 ·I studied and tried very hard to find wisdom,
    to find some meaning for everything [L I and my heart turned to understand and to explore and to seek wisdom and the sum of things].
I learned that it is foolish to be evil,
    and it is crazy to act like a fool.

26 I found that ·some women [or women] are ·worse [L more bitter] than death
    and are ·as dangerous as traps [L a trap/snare].
Their ·love is like [L heart is] a net,
    and their ·arms hold men like [L hands are] chains.
A man who pleases God will ·be saved from [escape] them,
    but ·a sinner [or someone who offends him] will be caught by them.

27 The ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1] says, “This is what I ·learned [L found]:
·I added all these things together
    to find some meaning for everything [L One to one to find the sum/scheme of things].

Read full chapter

25 So I turned my mind to understand,
    to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things(A)
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
    and the madness of folly.(B)

26 I find more bitter than death
    the woman who is a snare,(C)
whose heart is a trap
    and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
    but the sinner she will ensnare.(D)

27 “Look,” says the Teacher,[a](E) “this is what I have discovered:

“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 7:27 Or the leader of the assembly