13. Consider the ma'aseh HaElohim; for who can make straight what Hashem hath made crooked?
14. In the yom tovah be joyful, but in the yom ra'ah consider: HaElohim also hath set the one over against the other in such a way that adam may not find out anything that will come after him.
15. All things have I seen in the yamim of my hevel; there is a tzaddik that perisheth in his tzedakah, and there is a rasha that prolongeth his life in his ra'ah.
16. Do not be over much the tzaddik nor over much the chacham; why cause thyself desolation?
17. Be not over much resha, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18. It is good that thou holdest fast to the one and withdrawest not thine hand from the other; for he is a yire Elohim (G-d fearer) who shall fulfill both.
19. Chochmah makes one chacham stronger than asarah shalitim (ten rulers) which are in the city.
20. For there is not a tzaddik upon earth, that doeth tov, and sinneth not [Ro 3:23].
21. Also take no heed unto kol dvarim that are spoken; lest thou hear thy eved curse thee;
22. For oftentimes also thine own lev hath da'as that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23. I tested all this with chochmah; I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24. That which is far off, and exceeding deep, whose chochmah can find it out?
25. I applied mine lev to have da'as, and to search, and to seek out chochmah, and the cheshbon (scheme, plan) of things, and to have da'as of resha (wickedness) of kesel (stupidity), even of sichlut (folly) and holelot (madness).
26. And I find more mar (bitter) than mavet the isha, whose lev is snares and traps, and her hands are as chains; whoso pleaseth HaElohim shall escape from her; but the choteh (sinner) shall be ensnared by her.