“I am determined to be wise”^(A)—
    but this was beyond me.
²⁴ Whatever exists is far off and most profound—
    who can discover it?^(B)
25 So I turned my mind to understand,
    to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things^(C)
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
    and the madness of folly.^(D)

²⁶ I find more bitter than death
    the woman who is a snare,^(E)
whose heart is a trap
    and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
    but the sinner she will ensnare.^(F)