God’s Word Translation
Ecclesiastes 7:16
16Don’t be too virtuous, and don’t be too wise. Why make yourself miserable?
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
14When times are good, be happy. But when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one time as well as the other so that mortals cannot predict their future. 15I have seen it all in my pointless life: Righteous people die in spite of being righteous. Wicked people go on living in spite of being wicked. Don’t be too virtuous, and don’t be too wise. Why make yourself miserable? 17Don’t be too wicked, and don’t be a fool. Why should you die before your time is up? 18It’s good to hold on to the one and not let go of the other, because the one who fears God will be able to avoid both extremes.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 7Ecclesiastes 7:16 word by word
אַל־תְּהִ֤י צַדִּיק֙ הַרְבֵּ֔ה וְאַל־תִּתְחַכַּ֖ם יוֹתֵ֑ר לָ֖מָּה תִּשּׁוֹמֵֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:16
- Proverbs 25:16When you find honey, eat only as much as you need. Otherwise, you will have too much and vomit.
- Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.
- Matthew 9:14Then John’s disciples came to Jesus. They said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often but your disciples never do?”
- Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
- Matthew 23:5“They do everything to attract people’s attention. They make their headbands large and the tassels on their shawls long.
- Luke 18:12I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my entire income.’
- Romans 10:2I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God, but they are misguided.
- Philippians 3:6When it comes to being enthusiastic, I was a persecutor of the church. When it comes to winning God’s approval by obeying Jewish laws, I was perfect.
- 1 Timothy 4:3They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth.
- Ecclesiastes 12:12Be warned, my children, against anything more than these. People never stop writing books. Too much studying will wear out your body.
- Genesis 3:6The woman saw that the tree had fruit that was good to eat, nice to look at, and desirable for making someone wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
- Job 11:12But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame.
- Job 28:28So he told humans, ‘The fear of the Lord is wisdom! To stay away from evil is understanding.’ ”
- Proverbs 23:4Do not wear yourself out getting rich. Be smart enough to stop.
- Romans 11:25Brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery so that you won’t become arrogant. The minds of some Israelites have become closed until all of God’s non-Jewish people are included.
- Romans 12:3Because of the kindness that God has shown me, I ask you not to think of yourselves more highly than you should. Instead, your thoughts should lead you to use good judgment based on what God has given each of you as believers.
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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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