Ecclesiastes 7:17 — Bible Verse (KJV)

“Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?”

Ecclesiastes 7:17 — King James Version (KJV), 1611

Ecclesiastes 7:17 in 6 Bible Translations

Read Ecclesiastes 7:17 in the King James Version (KJV) and 5 other free, public-domain translations side by side.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 WEB — World English Bible (2000)

“Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?”

Ecclesiastes 7:17 — World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 7:17 ASV — American Standard Version (1901)

“Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? ”

Ecclesiastes 7:17 — American Standard Version

Ecclesiastes 7:17 YLT — Young's Literal Translation (1862)

“Do not much wrong, neither be thou a fool, why dost thou die within thy time?”

Ecclesiastes 7:17 — Young's Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 7:17 DBY — Darby Translation (1890)

“Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? ”

Ecclesiastes 7:17 — Darby Translation

Ecclesiastes 7:17 GEN — Geneva Bible (1599)

“I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.”

Ecclesiastes 7:17 — Geneva Bible

Ecclesiastes 7:17 in Context — 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.

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

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

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.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Read the full chapter: Ecclesiastes 7 — The Struggle with Sin — O Wretched Man That I Am →

What Does Ecclesiastes 7:17 Mean?

Ecclesiastes 7:17 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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