Ecclesiastes 7:16

World English Bible (2000)

Don't be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Rom 12:3 : 3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
  • Luke 18:12 : 12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.'
  • Prov 25:16 : 16 Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.
  • Phil 3:6 : 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
  • Col 2:18 : 18 Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
  • Col 2:23 : 23 Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
  • 1 Tim 4:3 : 3 forbidding marriage and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
  • Jas 3:13-17 : 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
  • Rev 18:19 : 19 They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!' For in one hour is she made desolate.
  • Eccl 12:12 : 12 Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
  • Matt 6:1-7 : 1 "Be careful that you don't do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don't sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you do merciful deeds, don't let your left hand know what your right hand does, 4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 5 "When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
  • Matt 9:14 : 14 Then John's disciples came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't fast?"
  • Matt 15:2-9 : 2 "Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread." 3 He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God," 6 he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"
  • Matt 23:5 : 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,
  • Matt 23:23-24 : 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!
  • Matt 23:29 : 29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,
  • Matt 23:38 : 38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
  • Rom 10:2 : 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
  • Rom 11:25 : 25 For I don't desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
  • 1 Cor 3:18 : 18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
  • 1 Cor 3:20 : 20 And again, "The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless."
  • Gen 3:6 : 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
  • Job 11:12 : 12 An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey's colt.
  • Job 28:28 : 28 To man he said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.'"
  • Prov 23:4 : 4 Don't weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 7:17-23
    7 verses
    88%

    17 Don't be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

    18 It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don't withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.

    19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

    20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.

    21 Also don't take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

    22 for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.

    23 All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.

  • Eccl 7:13-15
    3 verses
    75%

    13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

    14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

    15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

  • Eccl 7:9-11
    3 verses
    75%

    9 Don't be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

    10 Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.

    11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

  • Prov 3:7
    75%

    7 Don't be wise in your own eyes. Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.

  • Prov 23:4
    75%

    4 Don't weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

  • Eccl 7:4-7
    4 verses
    73%

    4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

    5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

    6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

    7 Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

  • Prov 14:12
    71%

    12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

  • 1 Cor 3:18
    71%

    18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.

  • Eccl 1:18
    71%

    18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

  • Eccl 2:15-16
    2 verses
    70%

    15 Then I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

    16 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

  • Job 36:18
    70%

    18 Don't let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.

  • Jer 9:23
    70%

    23 Thus says Yahweh, Don't let the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, don't let the rich man glory in his riches;

  • Prov 16:25
    70%

    25 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

  • Prov 19:3
    70%

    3 The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh.

  • Prov 27:1
    70%

    1 Don't boast about tomorrow; for you don't know what a day may bring forth.

  • Isa 5:21
    70%

    21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

  • Prov 26:4-5
    2 verses
    70%

    4 Don't answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

    5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

  • Prov 11:4
    70%

    4 Riches don't profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

  • Prov 25:27
    70%

    27 It is not good to eat much honey; nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.

  • Prov 1:32
    70%

    32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

  • Prov 13:6-7
    2 verses
    69%

    6 Righteousness guards the way of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

    7 There are some who pretend to be rich, yet have nothing. There are some who pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

  • Prov 24:15
    69%

    15 Don't lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don't destroy his resting place:

  • Eccl 7:25
    69%

    25 I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

  • Prov 10:2
    69%

    2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.

  • Eccl 11:9-10
    2 verses
    69%

    9 Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

    10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

  • Prov 14:8
    69%

    8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

  • Prov 17:26
    69%

    26 Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.

  • Eccl 5:7
    69%

    7 For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.

  • Eccl 1:15
    69%

    15 That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.

  • Prov 21:12
    69%

    12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked, and brings the wicked to ruin.

  • Prov 19:10
    69%

    10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

  • Matt 7:1
    69%

    1 "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged.