Ecclesiastes 7:16

Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

World English Bible Classic

In The King James Version

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

In Context

15All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

17Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

Read all of Ecclesiastes 7

Cross References

Job 11:12An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey’s colt.

Proverbs 23:4Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

Ecclesiastes 12:12Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Matthew 9:14Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”

Matthew 23:5But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments,

Matthew 23:29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous,

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 7:12-23

The Advantages of Wisdom. 11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. 13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 7:16