Ecclesiastes 7:16

Ecclesiastes 7:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
• New International Version (NIV)Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why destroy yourself?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?

Context of Ecclesiastes 7:16

14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him. 15All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing. Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.

Ecclesiastes 7:16 word by word

אַל־תְּהִ֤י צַדִּיק֙ הַרְבֵּ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתְחַכַּ֖ם יוֹתֵ֑ר לָ֖מָּה תִּשּׁוֹמֵֽם׃Read the interlinear

• Beהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• righteousצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• makeשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: destroyedH8074
• whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:16

• Proverbs 25:16Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
• Matthew 6:1Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
• Matthew 9:14Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
• Matthew 15:2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
• Matthew 23:5But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
• Luke 18:12I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.
• Romans 10:2For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
• Philippians 3:6as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
• 1 Timothy 4:3forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth.
• Ecclesiastes 12:12And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
• Genesis 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
• Job 11:12But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born as a wild ass’s colt.
• Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.
• Proverbs 23:4Weary not thyself to be rich; Cease from thine own wisdom.
• Romans 11:25For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
• Romans 12:3For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Why shouldest thou destroy thyself? - תשומם tishshomem, make thyself desolate, so that thou shalt be obliged to stand alone; neither make thyself over-wise, תתחכם tithchaccam, do not pretend to abundance of wisdom. Why shouldest thou be so singular? In other words, and in modern language, "There is no need of all this watching, fasting, praying, self-denial, etc., you carry things to extremes. Why should you wish to be reputed singular and precise?" To…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 The days of my vanity - This does not imply that those days of vanity were ended (see Ecclesiastes 1:12 note). The meaning may be best explained by a paraphrase. Solomon states how the wise man should regard the “crooked Ecclesiastes 7:13 work of God” when it bears upon him. He says in effect, “Do not think that thou couldest alter the two instances (described in Ecclesiastes 7:15) of such crooked work so as to make it straight, that thou art…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-22Verses 11-22 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings. Let us look upon the disposal of our condition as the work of God, and at last all will appear to have been for the best. In acts of righteousness, be not carried into heats or passions, no…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16No matter how hard we work, there is always more to do, and we might harm ourselves in the process.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Holden makes Ec 7:16 the scoffing inference of the objector, and Ec 7:17 the answer of Solomon, now repentant. So (1Co 15:32) the skeptic's objection; (1Co 15:33) the answer. However, "Be not righteous over much," may be taken as Solomon's words, forbidding a self-made righteousness of outward performances, which would wrest salvation from God, instead of receiving it as the gift of His grace. It is a fanatical, pharisaical righteousness, separated…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:16

• Prudence
• Wisdom
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Adversity
• Bosom
• Consider
• Crackling
• Living
• Rest
• Synagogue, the Great
• Wisdom

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings