EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 7:17
17But do not be too wicked. Do not be a fool. That might cause you to die when you are still young.
Ecclesiastes 7:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
- New International Version (NIV)Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool— why die before your time?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?
Context of Ecclesiastes 7:17
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. But 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.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 7Ecclesiastes 7:17 word by word
אַל־תִּרְשַׁ֥ע הַרְבֵּ֖ה וְאַל־תְּהִ֣י סָכָ֑ל לָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּת בְּלֹ֥א עִתֶּֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:17
- Jeremiah 2:33You are very clever. You can always find someone to love. Even prostitutes could learn something from you!
- Ezekiel 8:17The Lord said to me, ‘Son of man, look at that! The people of Judah are doing these disgusting things here in my temple! That is a terrible thing! And they are also doing violent things everywhere in their land. They continue to make me angry all the time. Look at them! They insult me as much as they can!
- Ezekiel 16:20You also offered your sons and your daughters as sacrifices to those idols. They were my children too! But you offered them as food to your idols. Like a prostitute, you were not faithful to me.
- James 1:21So stop doing disgusting things. Stay away from the wicked things that are all around you. God has put his message deep inside you, and it can save you. So be careful to accept that message.
- Genesis 38:7But the Lord saw that Er, Judah's firstborn son, was very bad. So the Lord caused him to die.
- 1 Samuel 25:38About ten days after that, the Lord caused Nabal to die.
- Job 15:32Before he is old, his life will end. Like a tree that makes no leaves, he will have no success in life.
- Psalms 55:23And as for wicked people, you, God, will send them to their graves. They will go down into the deep hole of death while they are still young. That is what will happen to those cruel people, who kill and cheat others. But I will trust in you, God.
- Proverbs 10:27If you respect and obey the Lord, you will live longer. But wicked people will die before they are old.
- Acts 5:5As soon as he heard Peter say this, Ananias fell down and he died. When people heard what had happened, they were all very afraid.
- Acts 12:23Herod let the people praise him, instead of God. So, immediately, an angel of the Lord God caused him to become very ill. Worms ate his body and later he died.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? - הרבה תרשע אל al tirsha harbeh . Do not multiply wickedness, do not add direct opposition to godliness to the rest of your crimes. Why should you provoke God to destroy you before your time? Perdition will come soon enough. If you will not turn from your sins, and avoid it finally, yet keep out of it as long as you can. It cannot be supposed, except by those who are…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. 17Do not be excessively wicked: Foolish wickedness can lead to an early death (for example, 1 Samuel 25).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. over much wicked--so worded, to answer to "righteous over much." For if not taken thus, it would seem to imply that we may be wicked a little. "Wicked" refers to "wicked man" (Ec 7:15); "die before thy time," to "prolongeth his life," antithetically. There may be a wicked man spared to "live long," owing to his avoiding gross excesses (Ec 7:15). Solomon says, therefore, Be not so foolish (answering antithetically to "over wise," Ec 7:16), as to run to…Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:17
In the dictionaries
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
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