Ecclesiastes 7:15-27

¹⁵Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

¹⁶In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

¹⁷I 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.

¹⁸Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

¹⁹Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?

²⁰It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

²¹Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.

²²Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

²³Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.

²⁴For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.

²⁵All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.

²⁶It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?

²⁷I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,