Ecclesiastes 7:15 “In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing…”

Ecclesiastes 7:15

In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

World English Bible

All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

American Standard Version

All this have I seen in my days of 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.

Geneva Bible 1599

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

Darby Translation

All [this] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.

Young's Literal Translation

The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrong-doer prolonging [himself] in his wrong.

Bible in Basic English

These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.

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Cross references

“have I”

Ecclesiastes 6:12 Ecclesiastes 2:23 Genesis 47:9 Psalm 39:6 Ecclesiastes 5:16 Ecclesiastes 5:17

Ecclesiastes 6:12 · BSB

For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:23 · BSB

Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

Genesis 47:9 · BSB

“My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”

Psalm 39:6 · BSB

Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Ecclesiastes 5:16 · BSB

This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?

Ecclesiastes 5:17 · BSB

Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

“there is a just”

Ecclesiastes 3:16 1 Kings 21:13 Acts 7:52 John 16:2 Ecclesiastes 8:14 Ecclesiastes 9:1

Ecclesiastes 3:16 · BSB

Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

1 Kings 21:13 · BSB

And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

Acts 7:52 · BSB

Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

John 16:2 · BSB

They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

Ecclesiastes 8:14 · BSB

There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is fu…

Ecclesiastes 9:1 · BSB

So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.

“there is a wicked”

Psalm 73:3–13 Job 21:7–15 Isaiah 65:20 Ecclesiastes 8:12 Ecclesiastes 8:13 Jeremiah 12:1

Psalm 73:3–13 · BSB

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Job 21:7–15 · BSB

Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

Isaiah 65:20 · BSB

No longer will a nursing infant live but a few days, or an old man fail to live out his years. For the youth will die at a hundred years, and he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

Ecclesiastes 8:12 · BSB

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.

Ecclesiastes 8:13 · BSB

Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

Jeremiah 12:1 · BSB

Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

Also

Ecclesiastes 9:9

Ecclesiastes 9:9 · BSB

Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

14In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

16Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Read Ecclesiastes 7