New International Version
Ecclesiastes 7:16
16Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why destroy yourself?
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?
- 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?
- New Living Translation (NLT)So don’t be too good or too wise! Why 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 as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future. 15In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness. Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why destroy yourself? 17Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool— why die before your time? 18It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all 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 25:16If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit.
- Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 9:14Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
- Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
- Matthew 23:5“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
- Luke 18:12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
- Romans 10:2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.
- Philippians 3:6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
- 1 Timothy 4:3They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
- Ecclesiastes 12:12Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
- Genesis 3:6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
- Job 11:12But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human.
- Job 28:28And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
- Proverbs 23:4Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
- Romans 11:25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in,
- Romans 12:3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
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
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