Ecclesiastes 7:16-17
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse isn't warning against being genuinely good or wise, but cautioning against an "over-the-top" display that leads to self-destruction. It's a warning against becoming so rigidly righteous or ostentatiously wise that you alienate others, make yourself a target, or push yourself into a lonely, desolate place.
Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Preacher is reflecting on the unpredictable nature of life, where good people can suffer and wicked people can prosper. He's been exploring how wisdom, pleasure, and piety interact with this often frustrating reality. This verse offers a cautionary counterpoint, warning against an extreme, perhaps self-destructive, approach to living righteously or wisely that might isolate one from society or invite unnecessary trouble.
Have you ever felt pressured to be 'more holy' than everyone else? Or perhaps seen someone so rigid in their beliefs they alienate others? Ecclesiastes warns us about this.
The Teacher in Ecclesiastes isn't saying don't be righteous. That's vital! But he's cautioning against a show of righteousness that becomes rigid, self-righteous, or so extreme it isolates you. Think of it as 'piety gone wild'. This isn't about genuine love for God and neighbor, but about a performance that can lead to unnecessary hardship, making yourself a target, or becoming so scrupulous about minor things that you miss the bigger picture. It's about avoiding the spiritual pride that can creep in when we think we've got it all figured out, or that we're somehow better than others because of our strict adherence to certain practices.
We often equate 'wise' with 'knowing everything' or being incredibly intellectual. But does Ecclesiastes suggest a different kind of wisdom?
Just as with righteousness, the Teacher warns against being 'too wise.' This isn't a call to ignorance, but a caution against intellectual arrogance. It means avoiding speculative overthinking about God's ways, becoming a constant critic of others, or trying to pry into mysteries beyond our grasp. This kind of 'wisdom' can lead to self-destruction by making you isolated, overly critical, or filled with a pride that blinds you. True wisdom, as shown throughout Ecclesiastes, often involves humility, accepting the limits of our understanding, and focusing on practical godliness rather than endless, unresolvable debates.
Ask a follow-up
Why would the Bible caution against being 'too good' or 'too smart'? It seems counterintuitive! What's the underlying principle?
Ecclesiastes 7:16-17, when read together, present a crucial principle for navigating life under the sun. The Teacher isn't advocating for mediocrity, but for a balanced, realistic approach to faith and life. Extreme righteousness can make you a target or alienate people. Extreme wisdom can lead to pride and speculation that destroys you. The counterbalance, given in verse 17, is 'do not be over wicked, and do not be a fool.' This means finding the middle way – a life that is devout but not fanatical, wise but not arrogant. It's about living faithfully within God's ordered world, understanding that true godliness and wisdom don't demand defying common sense or alienating ourselves from the community, but rather living with a humble heart before God and a discerning mind towards the world.
Understand the original words
tsaddiyq · Hebrew Adjective
Describes a person characterized by moral integrity, uprightness, and conformity to God's standards; in the context of the Fall, it refers to those who are justified by faith, though not yet morally perfect in practice.
chakam · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
The quality of having insight, discernment, and practical knowledge of how to live in accordance with God's will; it is often personified as a gift from God.
rasha · Hebrew Adjective
The state of moral perversity or deviation from God's law; it denotes an active rebellion or a state of being guilty before God.
cakal · Hebrew Noun
A term often used in wisdom literature to describe someone who lacks moral or spiritual understanding, rejecting God's counsel and living as if God does not exist.
This passage echoes the caution against 'being too wise' by warning against thinking oneself as something when one is nothing, which can lead to pride and a dangerous self-deception.
Romans 12:3Similar to the warning against being 'too wise,' this verse emphasizes humility and a realistic self-assessment, reminding believers not to think of themselves more highly than they ought.
1 Corinthians 1:20This verse directly contrasts human wisdom with divine wisdom, suggesting that the world's wisdom can lead to foolishness in God's eyes, mirroring the caution in Ecclesiastes against being 'too wise'.
Matthew 23:27-28Jesus condemns the Pharisees for appearing righteous on the outside but being corrupt within, which reflects the danger of being 'righteous over much' in a superficial, self-serving way that ultimately leads to destruction.
clarkeEcclesiastes 7:16: "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?"
Why shouldest thou destroy thyself? - תשומם tishshomem, make thyself desolate, so that thou shalt be obliged to stand alone; neither make thyself over-wise, תתחכם tithchaccam, do not pretend to abundance of wisdom. Why shouldest thou be so singular? In other words, and in modern language, "There is no need of all this watching, fasting, praying, self-denial, etc., you carry thi…
ellicottEcclesiastes 7:16: "Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?"
(16) Righteous over – much.— The caution is against morbid scrupulosity and over-rigorism. We may illustrate by the case of the Jews, who refused to defend themselves against their enemies on the Sabbath day. The next verse is a necessary corrective to this: “Yet be cautious how thou disregardest the restraints of Law.”
The verse isn't warning against being genuinely good or wise, but cautioning against an "over-the-top" display that leads to self-destruction. It's a warning against becoming so rigidly righteous or ostentatiously wise that you alienate others, make yourself a target, or push yourself into a lonely, desolate place.
The Preacher is reflecting on the unpredictable nature of life, where good people can suffer and wicked people can prosper. He's been exploring how wisdom, pleasure, and piety interact with this often frustrating reality. This verse offers a cautionary counterpoint, warning against an extreme, perhaps self-destructive, approach to living righteously or wisely that might isolate one from society or invite unnecessary trouble.
The Preacher is reflecting on the unpredictable nature of life, where good people can suffer and wicked people can prosper. He's been exploring how wisdom, pleasure, and piety interact with this often frustrating reality. This verse offers a cautionary counterpoint, warning against an extreme, perhaps self-destructive, approach to living righteously or wisely that might isolate one from society or invite unnecessary trouble.
"Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?" — The verse isn't warning against being genuinely good or wise, but cautioning against an "over-the-top" display that leads to self-destruction. It's a warning against becoming so rigidly righteous or…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
