Ecclesiastes 7:11-22

11Wisdom along with an inheritance is good,

And an advantage to those who see the sun.

12For wisdom is protection just as money is protection,

But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom keeps its possessors alive.

13Consider the work of God,

For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

14On the day of prosperity be happy,

But on the day of adversity consider:

God has made the one as well as the other

So that a person will not discover anything that will come after him.

¹⁵I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous person who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked person who prolongs his life in his wickedness. ¹⁶Do not be excessively righteous, and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? ¹⁷Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be foolish. Why should you die before your time? ¹⁸It is good that you grasp one thing while not letting go of the other; for one who fears God comes out with both of them.

¹⁹Wisdom strengthens a wise person more than ten rulers who are in a city. ²⁰Indeed, there is not a righteous person on earth who always does good and does not ever sin. ²¹Also, do not take seriously all the words which are spoken, so that you do not hear your servant cursing you, ²²for you know that even you have cursed others many times as well.