Ecclesiastes 7:25–8:1

²⁵So I tried to understand wisdom more completely.

I wanted to study it and figure it out.

I tried to find out everything I could about it.

I tried to understand why it’s foolish to be evil.

I wanted to see why choosing foolishness is so unwise.

²⁶A woman who hunts a man down

is more painful than death.

Her heart is like a trap.

Her hands are like chains.

A man who pleases God will try to get away from her.

But she will trap a sinner.

²⁷“Look,” says the Teacher. “Here’s what I’ve discovered.

“I added one thing to another to find out

everything I could about wisdom.

²⁸I searched and searched

but found very little.

I did find one honest man among a thousand.

But I didn’t find one honest woman among a thousand.

²⁹Here’s the only other thing I found.

God made men honest.

But they’ve made many evil plans.”

8Who is like a wise man?

Who knows how to explain things?

Wisdom makes a man’s face bright.

It softens the look on his face.