17. Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18. It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.
19. Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men that are in a city.
20. Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
21. Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
22. For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23. All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24. Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?
25. I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;
26. and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27. See this which I have found, saith the Preacher, searching one by one to find out the reason;
28. which my soul yet seeketh, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.
29. Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.