Ecclesiastes 7:16 (KJV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Ecclesiastes 7:15 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.

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

Ecclesiastes 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Ecclesiastes 7:18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "righteous", "over", "much", "neither", "make", "thyself", and "wise". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "righteous" and "over", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "All things have I seen in the..." into verse 17's "Be not over much wicked neither be...", so "righteous" and "over" belong inside that flow. In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "righteous" and "over" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.