Ecclesiastes 7:16

“Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?”

"Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?" - Ecclesiastes 7:16
Commentary

What does Ecclesiastes 7:16 mean?

Ecclesiastes 7:16 from the King James Version of the Bible reads, "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?" This verse is from the book of Ecclesiastes, which is traditionally attributed to King Solomon. The book is part of…

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The Wisdom of Balance: Understanding Ecclesiastes 7:16

In our pursuit of righteousness, wisdom, and understanding, we may sometimes forget a crucial principle presented in Ecclesiastes 7:16 (KJV): "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?" This verse stands as a poignant…

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A Prayer for Wisdom and Balance in Righteousness

Heavenly Father, We gather before You today with hearts full of reverence and humility, recognizing that You are the ultimate source of wisdom and understanding. Your Word reminds us in Ecclesiastes 7:16, "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest…

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Artwork for Ecclesiastes 7:16

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Ecclesiastes 7:16 - "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?"
Ecclesiastes 7:7 - "¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart."
Ecclesiastes 3:7-8
Ecclesiastes 7:11 - "¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun."
Ecclesiastes 4:7 - "Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 7:9 - "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."
Ecclesiastes 6:7 - "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled."
Ecclesiastes 7:20 - "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."
Ecclesiastes 3:16 - "¶ And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there."
Ecclesiastes 7:3 - "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better."
Ecclesiastes 11:7 - "¶ Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:"
Ecclesiastes 7:4 - "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."
Ecclesiastes 10:16 - "¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!"
Ecclesiastes 8:7 - "For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?"
Ecclesiastes 5:7 - "For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God."
Ecclesiastes 7:19 - "Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city."
Ecclesiastes 3:7 - "A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;"
Ecclesiastes 7:24 - "That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?"
Ecclesiastes 7:6 - "For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity."
Ecclesiastes 7:5 - "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools."
Ecclesiastes 12:7 - "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
Ecclesiastes 9:16 - "Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard."
Ecclesiastes 7:13 - "Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?"
Ecclesiastes 7:23 - "¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me."
Ecclesiastes 7:1 - "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth."
Ecclesiastes 7:8 - "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
"¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart." - Ecclesiastes 7:7
Ecclesiastes 10:7 - "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth."
Ecclesiastes 7:12 - "For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it."