Ecclesiastes 7:15-23

English Standard Version

¹⁵ In my ^(A)vain^[a] life I have seen everything. There is ^(B)a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who ^(C)prolongs his life in his evildoing. ¹⁶ Be not overly righteous, and do not ^(D)make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? ¹⁷ Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. ^(E)Why should you die before your time? ¹⁸ It is good that you should take hold of ^(F)this, and from ^(G)that ^(H)withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.

^19 (I)Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

²⁰ Surely ^(J)there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

²¹ Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear ^(K)your servant cursing you. ²² Your heart knows that ^(L)many times you yourself have cursed others.

²³ All this I have tested by wisdom. ^(M)I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.