15. I have seen all these things in my vain life: Sometimes a righteous man perishes in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked man lives a long life in spite of his evil.
16. Do not be excessively righteous, and do not act excessively wise, lest you destroy yourself.
17. Do not act excessively wicked, and do not be a fool, lest you die before your time.
18. It is good to take hold of the one and also must not let go of the other; for whoever fears God will hold both of them secure.
19. Wisdom gives more strength to the wise than ten rulers who are in the city.
20. Surely there is no one righteous on the earth who continually does good and never sins.
21. Do not pay attention to everything people say, lest you hear your own servant curse you.
22. For your heart knows that you also have cursed others many times.
23. All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, “I will be wise!” but it was beyond my grasp.
24. Whatever is—it is far beyond comprehension. Who can discover it?
25. I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness is foolishness and that folly is delusion.
26. I myself found that more bitter than death is the woman who is a trap, whose heart is a snare, and whose hands are bonds. The one who pleases God escapes from her, but the sinner is caught by her.