Ecclesiastes 7:11-22

11It is good to have wisdom, like money that you receive from your father. Wisdom helps everyone who lives.

12Both wisdom and money can keep you safe. But wisdom is better. If you are wise, your knowledge can save your life.

13Think about the things that God has done. If God has bent something, nobody can make it straight again.

14If your life is good, you should be happy. But if you have trouble, think about this: God causes both joy and trouble in our lives. We do not know what will happen next.

15In my short life on the earth I have seen these things which have no purpose: Sometimes righteous people may die when they are still young. They did good things, but they died. And sometimes wicked people continue to live for along time. They did evil things, but they continued to live.

16So do not try to be too good or too wise. That might cause you to have trouble.

17But do not be too wicked. Do not be a fool. That might cause you to die when you are still young.

18Remember both these things. Do not forget either of them. You can do that if you respect God and you obey him.

19Wisdom makes a wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.

20There is nobody on the earth who is so righteous that they always do what is right. There is nobody who never does a wrong thing.

21Do not listen to all the things that people say about you. You might hear your servant when he is cursing you!

22Do not forget that you also have often cursed other people.