Scripture · Old Testament
Ecclesiastes 7:26
Ecclesiastes 7:26 is verse 26 of Ecclesiastes chapter 7, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.
Berean Standard Bible
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
King James Version
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
World English Bible
I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 7:24–28 · Berean Standard Bible
24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
25 I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
28 While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 7Hebrew words
Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Study Ecclesiastes 7:26
Cross-references
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.
Judges 16:18When Delilah realized that he had revealed to her all that was in his heart, she sent this message to the lords of the Philistines: “Come up once more, for he has revealed to me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came to her, bringing the money in their hands.
Judges 16:19And having lulled him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his head. In this way she began to subdue him, and his strength left him.
Judges 16:20Then she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When Samson awoke from his sleep, he thought, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.
Judges 16:21Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison.
Proverbs 2:18For her house sinks down to death, and her tracks to the departed spirits.
Proverbs 2:19None who go to her return or negotiate the paths of life.
Proverbs 5:3Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil,
Proverbs 5:4in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.
Proverbs 5:5Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol.
Proverbs 7:21With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
Proverbs 7:22He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
Proverbs 7:23until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
Proverbs 7:24Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Proverbs 7:25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
Proverbs 7:26For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
Proverbs 7:27Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 9:18But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Proverbs 22:14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
Proverbs 23:27For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
Proverbs 23:28Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.
Ecclesiastes 2:26To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.