Ecclesiastes 7:26 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

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.

English ASV

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.

English Amplified

And I found that [of all sinful follies none has been so ruinous in seducing one away from God as idolatrous women] more bitter than death is the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are bands. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

And I found that [of all sinful follies none has been so ruinous in seducing one away from God as idolatrous women] more bitter than death is the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are bands. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

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.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap: her heart a net and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

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

English EASY 2024

I learned this: Some women are like a trap that catches animals. Women like that are more dangerous than death. They may pretend to love you. They may hold you in their arms. But really their arms are like chains. They want to catch you, as hunters catch animals. Women like that will easily catch a man who has turned away from God. But a man who pleases God will escape from them.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

I also found that some women are dangerous like traps. Their hearts are like nets, and their arms are like chains. It is worse than death to be caught by these women. God's followers should run away from them. Let the sinners be caught by them.

And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

I found something more bitter than death—the woman who is like a trap. The love she offers you will catch you like a net, and her arms around you will hold you like a chain. A man who pleases God can get away, but she will catch the sinner.

English God's Word - GW 1995

I find that a woman whose thoughts are {like} traps and snares is more bitter than death itself. Even her hands are {like} chains. Whoever pleases God will escape her, but she will catch whoever continues to sin.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

English KJV 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.

English LSB

And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is good before God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

And I find more bitter than death a woman whose heart is like snares and nets, whose hands are like prison cells. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is captured by her.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

More bitter than death I find the woman who is a hunter's trap, whose heart is a snare and whose hands are prison bonds. He who is pleasing to God will escape her, but the sinner will be entrapped by her.

English NET Bible - 2005 (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.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

A woman who hunts a man down is more painful than death. Her heart is like a trap. Her hands are like chains. A man who pleases God will try to get away from her. But she will trap a sinner.

English NIV

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

English NKJ 1982

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

English NLT

I discovered that a seductive woman is more bitter than death. Her passion is a trap, and her soft hands will bind you. Those who please God will escape from her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

I found more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters; one who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters; he who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

A prostitute is more bitter than death. May it please God that you escape from her, but sinners don't evade her snares.

English Tyndale 1537

And I found, that a woman is bitterer than death: for she is a very angle, her heart is a net, and her hands are chains. Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner will be taken with her.

Ecclesiastes 7:26 — Compare Translations