Ecclesiastes 7:26

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

I found that more bitter than death is the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be caught by her.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard 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.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands are chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be trapped by her.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    And I find{H4672} more bitter{H4751} than death{H4194} the woman{H802} whose heart{H3820} is snares{H4685} and nets,{H2764} [and] whose hands{H3027} are bands:{H612} whoso pleaseth{H2896} God{H430} shall escape{H4422} from her; but the sinner{H2398} shall be taken{H3920} by her.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    And I find{H4672}{(H8802)} more bitter{H4751} than death{H4194} the woman{H802}, whose heart{H3820} is snares{H4685} and nets{H2764}, and her hands{H3027} as bands{H612}: whoso pleaseth{H2896}{H6440} God{H430} shall escape{H4422}{(H8735)} from her; but the sinner{H2398}{(H8802)} shall be taken{H3920}{(H8735)} by her.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    And I founde, that a woman is bytterer then death: for she is a very angle, hir hert is a nett, and hir handes are cheynes. Who so pleaseth God shal escape from her, but the synner will be taken wt her.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    (7:28) And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    And I founde that a woman is bitterer then death, the whiche hath cast abrode her heart as a net that men fishe with, and her handes are chaynes: Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner wyll be taken with her.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    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.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    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.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    And I am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart `is' nets and snares, her hands `are' bands; the good before God escapeth from her, but the sinner is captured by her.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, `and' whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. [

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    And I saw a thing more bitter than death, even the woman whose heart is full of tricks and nets, and whose hands are as bands. He with whom God is pleased will get free from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    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.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    I discovered this: More bitter than death is the kind of woman who is like a hunter’s snare; her heart is like a hunter’s net and her hands are like prison chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is captured by her.

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 22:14 : 14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; one who is cursed by the LORD will fall into it.
  • Prov 5:3-5 : 3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil. 4 But in the end, she is as bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
  • Prov 2:16 : 16 It will save you from the wayward woman, from the foreign woman with her flattering words,
  • Prov 2:18-19 : 18 for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed spirits. 19 None who go to her return, nor do they reach the paths of life.
  • Eccl 2:26 : 26 To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, He gives the task of gathering and storing wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
  • Judg 16:18-21 : 18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, 'Come back once more; he has told me everything.' So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven locks of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. 20 Then she called, 'Samson, the Philistines are upon you!' He awoke from his sleep and thought, 'I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the LORD had left him. 21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison.
  • Prov 23:27-28 : 27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and a narrow well is a deceitful woman. 28 She also lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
  • Prov 7:21-27 : 21 With her abundant persuasion, she entices him; with her smooth talk, she compels him. 22 He follows her all at once, like an ox going to slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of shackles. 23 Until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird rushing into a trap, not realizing it will cost him his life. 24 Now then, my sons, listen to me and pay attention to the words of my mouth. 25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. 26 For she has brought down many victims, and numerous are all those she has slain. 27 Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.
  • Prov 9:18 : 18 But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 7:27-28
    2 verses
    81%

    27 'See,' says the Teacher, 'this is what I have discovered, adding one thing to another to understand the scheme of things.'

    28 While I was still searching but not finding, I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all.

  • Prov 5:3-6
    4 verses
    78%

    3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil.

    4 But in the end, she is as bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.

    5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.

    6 She does not consider the path of life; her ways wander, but she does not know it.

  • Prov 6:24-26
    3 verses
    77%

    24 They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the foreign woman.

    25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her captivate you with her eyes.

    26 For a prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, but the wife of another man hunts a precious life.

  • Prov 7:25-27
    3 verses
    76%

    25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.

    26 For she has brought down many victims, and numerous are all those she has slain.

    27 Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

  • Prov 7:10-13
    4 verses
    75%

    10 And behold, a woman came to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and sly of heart.

    11 She is loud and rebellious; her feet do not stay at home.

    12 Now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner, she lurks.

    13 She took hold of him and kissed him; with a brazen face she said to him:

  • Eccl 7:25
    75%

    25 I turned my mind to understand, to investigate, and to search out wisdom and the meaning of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.

  • Prov 2:16-19
    4 verses
    75%

    16 It will save you from the wayward woman, from the foreign woman with her flattering words,

    17 who abandons the partner of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God;

    18 for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed spirits.

    19 None who go to her return, nor do they reach the paths of life.

  • Prov 7:21-23
    3 verses
    75%

    21 With her abundant persuasion, she entices him; with her smooth talk, she compels him.

    22 He follows her all at once, like an ox going to slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of shackles.

    23 Until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird rushing into a trap, not realizing it will cost him his life.

  • Prov 7:5
    74%

    5 To keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

  • Prov 22:14
    73%

    14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; one who is cursed by the LORD will fall into it.

  • Prov 23:27-28
    2 verses
    73%

    27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and a narrow well is a deceitful woman.

    28 She also lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

  • Prov 3:17-18
    2 verses
    73%

    17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

    18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and those who hold her fast are blessed.

  • Prov 23:33
    73%

    33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things.

  • Prov 5:20
    72%

    20 Why, my son, should you be captivated by a forbidden woman or embrace the bosom of a stranger?

  • Prov 11:22
    71%

    22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

  • Prov 8:35
    71%

    35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD.

  • Prov 21:19
    71%

    19 It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and angry wife.

  • Prov 7:8
    71%

    8 Passing through the street near her corner, he took the path to her house.

  • Prov 31:30-31
    2 verses
    71%

    30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

    31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gates.

  • Prov 27:16
    71%

    16 Trying to restrain her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.

  • Prov 30:23
    71%

    23 an unloved woman when she gets married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.

  • Ezek 16:32
    71%

    32 You adulterous wife, who prefers strangers instead of her own husband!

  • Prov 31:10
    71%

    10 A wife of noble character, who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

  • Prov 18:22
    71%

    22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.

  • Job 31:9
    71%

    9 If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,

  • Hos 2:7
    70%

    7 Their mother has been unfaithful; their conceiver acted shamefully. She said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread, water, wool, flax, oil, and drink.'

  • Prov 4:6
    70%

    6 Do not abandon her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will protect you.

  • Prov 5:8
    70%

    8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house.

  • Prov 6:32
    70%

    32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense; he destroys himself.

  • 1 Tim 5:6
    70%

    6 But the one who lives indulgently, even while living, is dead.

  • Prov 21:9
    70%

    9 It is better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a contentious wife.