Passage

The warning about folly

Source and translation

World English Bible, Protestant Edition · Public domain · en

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¹⁷Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

Ecclesiastes 7:17World English Bible, Protestant Edition

The scene

The speaker warns against being too wicked and against folly, asking why someone should die before their time.

To understand

The preceding verse warns against being overly righteous or making oneself overly wise. The next asks the listener to hold both counsels together and speaks of fearing God.

A question

What question about death closes the warning against folly?