Font Size
Ecclesiastes 7:14-16
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 7:14-16
New International Version
14 When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.(A)
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
15 In this meaningless life(B) of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.(C)
16 Do not be overrighteous,
neither be overwise—
why destroy yourself?
Ecclesiastes 7:14-16
New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 7:14-16
New King James Version
14 (A)In the day of prosperity be joyful,
But in the day of adversity consider:
Surely God has appointed the one [a]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:
(B)There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness,
And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:14 alongside
Ecclesiastes 7:14-16
English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 7:14-16
English Standard Version
14 (A)In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, (B)so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.
15 In my (C)vain[a] life I have seen everything. There is (D)a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who (E)prolongs his life in his evildoing. 16 Be not overly righteous, and do not (F)make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:15 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.