Ecclesiastes 7:13-25

¹³Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?

¹⁴In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

¹⁵All things have I seen in the days of my 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.

¹⁶Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

¹⁷Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time?

¹⁸It is good that thou shouldest take hold of the one; yea, also from the other withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God shall discharge himself of them all.

¹⁹Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

²⁰For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

²¹Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;

²²for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

²³All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.

²⁴That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?

²⁵I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;