15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity:

oThere is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,

And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.

16 pDo not be overly righteous,

qNor be overly wise:

Why should you destroy yourself?

17 Do not be overly wicked,

Nor be foolish:

rWhy should you die before your time?

18 It is good that you grasp this,

And also not remove your hand from the other;

For he who sfears God will 9escape them all.

19 tWisdom strengthens the wise

More than ten rulers of the city.

20 uFor there is not a just man on earth who does good

And does not sin.

21 Also do not take to heart everything people say,

Lest you hear your servant cursing you.

22 For many times, also, your own heart has known

That even you have cursed others.

23 All this I have 1proved by wisdom.

vI said, “I will be wise”;

But it was far from me.

24 wAs for that which is far off and xexceedingly deep,

Who can find it out?

25 yI applied my heart to know,

To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things,

To know the wickedness of folly,

Even of foolishness and madness.

26 zAnd I find more bitter than death

The woman whose heart is snares and nets,

Whose hands are fetters.

2He who pleases God shall escape from her,

But the sinner shall be trapped by her.

27 “Here is what I have found,” says athe Preacher,

“Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,

28 Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find:

bOne man among a thousand I have found,

But a woman among all these I have not found.

29 Truly, this only I have found:

cThat God made man upright,

But dthey have sought out many schemes.”