Ecclesiastes 7:13–18

13 Consider what God has done:

Who can straighten

what he has made crooked?

14 When times are good, be happy;

but when times are bad, consider this:

God has made the one

as well as the other.

Therefore, no one can discover

anything about their future.

15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:

the righteous perishing in their righteousness,

and the wicked living long in their wickedness.

16 Do not be overrighteous,

neither be overwise—

why destroy yourself?

17 Do not be overwicked,

and do not be a fool—

why die before your time?

18 It is good to grasp the one

and not let go of the other.

Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

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

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.

13 Accept the way God does things,

for who can straighten what he has made crooked?

14 Enjoy prosperity while you can,

but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.

Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

15 I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people. 16 So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? 17 On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time? 18 Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.

13 Consider the work of God;

For who can make straight what He has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful,

But in the day of adversity consider:

Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other,

So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity:

There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,

And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.

16 Do not be overly righteous,

Nor be overly wise:

Why should you destroy yourself?

17 Do not be overly wicked,

Nor be foolish:

Why should you die before your time?

18 It is good that you grasp this,

And also not remove your hand from the other;

For he who fears God will escape them all.

13 Look at what God has done:

No one can straighten what he has bent.

14 When life is good, enjoy it.

But when life is hard, remember:

God gives good times and hard times,

and no one knows what tomorrow will bring.

15 In my useless life I have seen both of these:

I have seen good people die in spite of their goodness

and evil people live a long time in spite of their evil.

16 Don’t be too right,

and don’t be too wise.

Why destroy yourself?

17 Don’t be too wicked,

and don’t be foolish.

Why die before your time?

18 It is good to grab the one and not let go of the other;

those who honor God will hold them both.

13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.

15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing. 16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not overmuch 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 that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.

13 Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing of what shall be after him. 15 All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his days by his wickedness. 16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not overmuch 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 that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.

13 Consider what God has done! Who can straighten what God has bent? 

14 When times are good, be happy. But when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one time as well as the other so that mortals cannot predict their future. 

15 I have seen it all in my pointless life: 

Righteous people die in spite of being righteous. 

Wicked people go on living in spite of being wicked. 

16 Don’t be too virtuous, and don’t be too wise. Why make yourself miserable? 17 Don’t be too wicked, and don’t be a fool. Why should you die before your time is up? 18 It’s good to hold on to the one and not let go of the other, because the one who fears God will be able to avoid both extremes. 

13 Consider the work of God,

for who can straighten out

what He has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

15 In my futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil. 16 Don’t be excessively righteous, and don’t be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Don’t be excessively wicked, and don’t be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.

13 Consider the work of God;

who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, and in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that mortals may not find out anything that comes after them.

15 In my vain life I have seen everything; there are righteous people who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked people who prolong their life in their evildoing. 16 Do not be too righteous, and do not act too wise; why should you destroy yourself? 17 Do not be too wicked, and do not be a fool; why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of the one without letting go of the other, for the one who fears God shall succeed with both.

13 Consider the work of God.

For who is able to make straight what he made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity, rejoice!

But in the day of adversity, consider!

For God made one in place of another

so that mortals cannot find out what will happen in the future.

15 I have seen all these things in my vain life:

Sometimes a righteous man perishes in spite of his righteousness,

and sometimes a wicked man lives a long life in spite of his evil.

16 Do not be excessively righteous,

and do not act excessively wise, lest you destroy yourself.

17 Do not act excessively wicked,

and do not be a fool, lest you die before your time.

18 It is good to take hold of the one and also must not let go of the other;

for whoever fears God will hold both of them secure.

13 Think about what God has done.

Who can make straight

what he has made crooked?

14 When times are good, be happy.

But when times are bad, here’s something to think about.

God has made bad times.

He has also made good times.

So a man can’t find out anything

about what’s ahead for him.

15 In my meaningless life here’s what I’ve seen.

I’ve seen a godly man dying

even though he is godly.

And I’ve seen a sinful man living a long time

even though he is sinful.

16 Don’t claim to be better than you are.

And don’t claim to be wiser than you are.

Why destroy yourself?

17 Don’t be too sinful.

And don’t be foolish.

Why die before your time comes?

18 It’s good to hold on to both of those things.

Don’t let go of either one.

A man who has respect for God will avoid

going too far in either direction.

13 Consider the work of God,

For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

14 In the day of prosperity be happy,

But in the day of adversity consider—

God has made the one as well as the other

So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

15 I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

16 Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.