27 Behold, this is what I found, says (A)the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— 28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. (B)One man among a thousand I found, but (C)a woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found, that (D)God made man upright, but (E)they have sought out many schemes.

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27 The Teacher says:
I discovered this while trying to discover the scheme of things, item by item.
28 What I have continually sought, I have not found;
I have found only[a] one upright[b] man among a thousand,
but I have not found one upright woman among all of them.
29 This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright,
but they have sought many evil schemes.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 7:28 tn The word “only” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.
  2. Ecclesiastes 7:28 tn The word “upright” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation twice, here and in the following line, for clarity.