Ecclesiastes 7:16-27

¹⁶Don't think you can make yourself right by a lot of religious observance, and don't pretend to be so wise. Do you want to destroy yourself?

¹⁷On the other hand, don't decide to live an evil life—don't be a fool! Why die before your time?

¹⁸You ought to keep in mind these warnings. Those who follow God will be sure to avoid both.

¹⁹Wisdom gives a wise person greater power than ten town councilors.

²⁰There's not one good person in all the world who always does what is right and never sins.

²¹Don't take to heart everything that people say, otherwise you may hear your servant talking badly about you,

²²for you know how many times you yourself have talked badly about others!

²³I have examined all this using the principles of wisdom. I told myself, “I will think wisely.” But wisdom eluded me.

²⁴Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?

²⁵I turned my thoughts to discover, investigate, and to find out more about wisdom and what makes sense. I wanted to know more about how stupid evil really is, and how ridiculous it is to be a fool.

²⁶I discovered something more horrible than death: foolishness like a woman who tries to entrap you, who wants to use her mind and hands to catch you and tie you up. Those who follow God will not be caught, but sinners will fall into her trap.

²⁷This is what I discovered after putting two and two together to try and find out what it all meant, says the Teacher.