Ecclesiastes 7:16 — Bible Verse (KJV)
“Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?”
Ecclesiastes 7:16 — King James Version (KJV), 1611
Ecclesiastes 7:16 in 6 Bible Translations
Read Ecclesiastes 7:16 in the King James Version (KJV) and 5 other free, public-domain translations side by side.
Ecclesiastes 7:16 WEB — World English Bible (2000)
“Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?”
Ecclesiastes 7:16 — World English Bible
Ecclesiastes 7:16 ASV — American Standard Version (1901)
“Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?”
Ecclesiastes 7:16 — American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 7:16 YLT — Young's Literal Translation (1862)
“Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise, why art thou desolate?”
Ecclesiastes 7:16 — Young's Literal Translation
Ecclesiastes 7:16 DBY — Darby Translation (1890)
“Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?”
Ecclesiastes 7:16 — Darby Translation
Ecclesiastes 7:16 GEN — Geneva Bible (1599)
“In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.”
Ecclesiastes 7:16 — Geneva Bible
Ecclesiastes 7:16 in Context — Ecclesiastes 7
14 Au jour du bonheur, sois heureux, et au jour du malheur, réfléchis: Dieu a fait l’un comme l’autre, afin que l’homme ne découvre en rien ce qui sera après lui.
15 J’ai vu tout cela pendant les jours de ma vanité. Il y a tel juste qui périt dans sa justice, et il y a tel méchant qui prolonge son existence dans sa méchanceté.
16 Ne sois pas juste à l’excès, et ne te montre pas trop sage: pourquoi te détruirais-tu?
17 Ne sois pas méchant à l’excès, et ne sois pas insensé: pourquoi mourrais-tu avant ton temps?
18 Il est bon que tu retiennes ceci, et que tu ne négliges point cela; car celui qui craint Dieu échappe à toutes ces choses.
Read the full chapter: Ecclesiastes 7 — The Struggle with Sin — O Wretched Man That I Am →
What Does Ecclesiastes 7:16 Mean?
Ecclesiastes 7:16 is a verse from the Book of Ecclesiastes, part of the Old Testament. It appears in Ecclesiastes chapter 7. Use The Living Sword's word-by-word study mode to explore every word in the original Hebrew and Aramaic.
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