Eclesiastés 7:15-25

15 Todo lo he visto en los días de mi vanidad. Justo hay que perece por su justicia, y hay impío que por su maldad alarga sus días

16 No seas demasiado legalista ni muy sabio en tus propios ojos, ¿por qué te destruirás

17 No seas muy listo a condenar, ni seas loco; ¿por qué morirás en medio del hilo de tus empresas

18 Bueno es que tomes de esto, y también de aquello no apartes tu mano; porque el que a Dios teme, saldrá con todo

19 La sabiduría fortifica al sabio más que diez poderosos príncipes que haya en la ciudad

20 Ciertamente no hay hombre justo en la tierra, que haga el bien y nunca peque

21 Tampoco apliques tu corazón a todas las cosas que se hablaren, para que no oigas a tu siervo que dice mal de ti

22 porque tu corazón sabe que tú también dijiste mal de otros muchas veces

23 Todas estas cosas probé con sabiduría, diciendo: Me haré sabio; mas ella se alejó de mí

24 Lejos está lo que fue; y lo muy profundo ¿quién lo hallará

25 Yo he rodeado con mi corazón por saber, y examinar, e inquirir la sabiduría, y la razón; y por saber la maldad de la locura, y el desvarío del error

Eclesiastés 7:15-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 7

The wise man having exposed the many vanities to which men are subject in this life, and showed that there is no real happiness in all outward enjoyments under the sun; proceeds to observe what are remedies against them, of which he had interspersed some few hints before, as the fear and worship of God, and the free and, moderate use of the creatures; and here suggests more, and such as will protect from them, or support under them, or teach and instruct how to behave while attended with them, and to direct to what are proper and necessary in the pursuit of true and real happiness; such as care of a good name and reputation, Ec 7:1; frequent meditation on mortality, Ec 7:2-4; listening to the rebukes of the wise, which are preferable to the songs and mirth of fools, Ec 7:5,6; avoiding oppression and bribery, which are very pernicious, Ec 7:7; patience under provocations, and present bad times, as thought to be, Ec 7:8-10; a pursuit of that wisdom and knowledge which has life annexed to it, Ec 7:11,12; submission to the will of God, and contentment in every state, Ec 7:13,14; shunning extremes in righteousness and sin, the best antidote against which is the fear of God, Ec 7:15-18; such wisdom as not to be offended with everything that is done, or word that is spoken, considering the imperfection of the best of men, the weakness of others, and our own, Ec 7:19-22; and then the wise man acknowledges the imperfection of his own wisdom and knowledge, notwithstanding the pains he had taken, Ec 7:23-25; and laments his sin and folly in being drawn aside by women, Ec 7:26-28; and opens the cause of the depravity of human nature, removes it from God, who made man upright, and ascribes it to man, the inventor of evil things, Ec 7:29.