Ecclesiastes 7:17

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Over much wicked - so worded to answer to "righteous over much." It does not imply that we may be wicked a little. "Wicked" refers to "wicked man" (); "die before thy time," to "prolongeth his life," antithetically. There may be a wicked man spared to "live long" (), when God chooses to use him as an instrument to execute unconsciously God's purposes: but judgment will come at last (Ecclesiastes 8:12); and generally soon: therefore, Be not so foolish (answering antithetically to "over wise" ) as to run to such excess of riot that God will be provoked to cut off prematurely thy day of grace (). The precept is addresses to a sinner. Beware of aggravating thy sin, so as to make thy case desperate (cf. ). "There is not a just man upon earth, that sinneth not." While avoiding a self-sufficient righteousness, which often brings down God's judgments (Ecclesiastes 7:15), beware of the opposite extreme of utter laxity in practice. It is true all are sinful (which the self-justiciaries do not realize, else they would not complain in affliction as if they were unjustly treated by God): but beware of crossing the line which separates the truly righteous, though subject to infirmity, from the wicked.

Die before thy time? - prematurely, because of wickedness.