²⁸ which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

²³ "If there is beside him an angel, An interpreter, one among a thousand, To show to man what is right for him;

¹ Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites;

² of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon joined to these in love.

³ He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.

¹ > Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men.

²³ All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.

²⁴ That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

⁹ With my soul have I desired you in the night; yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly: for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.