Ecclesiastes 7:15-18
Lexham English Bible
The Law of Retribution Does Not Always Work—but It Does Sometimes
15 I have seen all these things in my vain life:
Sometimes a righteous man perishes in spite of his righteousness,
and sometimes a wicked man lives a long life in spite of his evil.
16 Do not be excessively[a] righteous,
and do not act excessively wise, lest you destroy yourself.
17 Do not act excessively wicked,
and do not be a fool, lest you die before your time.
18 It is good to take hold of the one and also must not let go of the other;
for whoever fears God will hold both of them secure.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:16 Or “abundantly”
Ecclesiastes 7:15-18
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:15 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
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