Ecclesiastes 7:15

Ecclesiastes 7:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
• New International Version (NIV)In 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.

Context of Ecclesiastes 7:15

13Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? 14Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people. 16So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? 17On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time?

Ecclesiastes 7:15 word by word

אֶת־הַכֹּ֥ל רָאִ֖יתִי בִּימֵ֣י הֶבְלִ֑י יֵ֤שׁ צַדִּיק֙ אֹבֵ֣ד בְּצִדְק֔וֹ וְיֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֔ע מַאֲרִ֖יךְ בְּרָעָתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• have I seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of my vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• there isיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• a justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• that perishethאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• in his righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• and there is a wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• that prolongethאָרַךְ'ârak · to prolongH748
• in his wickednessרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 7:15

• Ecclesiastes 2:23Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.
• Ecclesiastes 5:16And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind.
• Ecclesiastes 6:12In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?
• Genesis 47:9Jacob replied, “I have traveled this earth for 130 hard years. But my life has been short compared to the lives of my ancestors.”
• Psalms 39:6We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
• Ecclesiastes 3:16I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt!
• Ecclesiastes 8:14And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!
• Ecclesiastes 9:1This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor.
• 1 Samuel 22:18Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments.
• 1 Kings 21:13Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him. And they accused Naboth before all the people, saying, “He cursed God and the king.” So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death.
• 2 Chronicles 24:21Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple.
• Job 9:22Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to God. That’s why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
• Matthew 23:34“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.
• John 16:2For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.
• Acts 7:52Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.
• Ecclesiastes 8:12But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15There is a just man that perisheth - This is another objection as if he had said, "I also have had considerable experience; and I have not discovered any marked approbation of the conduct of the righteous, or disapprobation of that of the wicked. On the contrary, I have seen a righteous man perish, while employed in the work of righteousness; and a wicked man prosperous, and even exalted, while living wickedly. The former is indeed a victim to his…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. 1-22God's control over everything is serious, but it gives us hope.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. An objection entertained by Solomon in the days of his vanity--his apostasy (Ec 8:14; Job 21:7). just ... perisheth--(1Ki 21:13). Temporal not eternal death (Joh 10:28). But see on Ec 7:16; "just" is probably a self-justiciary. wicked ... prolongeth--See the antidote to the abuse of this statement in Ec 8:12.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 7:15

• Death

In the dictionaries

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

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