²⁵ I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and the reason for things . . . to prove to myself the wickedness of folly and that foolishness is madness.

²⁶ A prostitute^[a] is more bitter than death. May it please God that you escape from her, but sinners don’t evade her snares.

^27-28 This is my conclusion, says the Preacher. Step by step I came to this result after researching in every direction: One tenth of one percent of the men I interviewed could be said to be wise, but not one woman!