Do not be excessively wicked
The Hebrew word for "wicked" is "רָשָׁע" (rasha), which conveys a sense of moral wrongness or guilt. In the context of Ecclesiastes, this phrase warns against a life characterized by persistent sinfulness. The term "excessively" suggests that while all sin is grievous, a life dominated by wickedness leads to self-destruction. Historically, the Israelites understood that living in opposition to God's commandments brought about divine judgment. This phrase serves as a caution against allowing sin to become a habitual and defining aspect of one's life, emphasizing the importance of repentance and seeking righteousness.

and do not be a fool
The word "fool" in Hebrew is "כְּסִיל" (kesil), often used in wisdom literature to describe someone who is morally and spiritually obtuse. A fool, in biblical terms, is not merely someone lacking intelligence, but rather someone who rejects wisdom and understanding, particularly the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). The admonition here is to avoid the path of folly, which is marked by a disregard for God's ways and an embrace of short-sighted, self-destructive behavior. This warning aligns with the broader biblical narrative that contrasts the wise, who seek God, with fools, who turn away from Him.

why should you die before your time?
This phrase raises the issue of premature death as a consequence of living a life of excessive wickedness or foolishness. The Hebrew concept of "time" here is "עֵת" (et), which can refer to an appointed time or season. The implication is that God has ordained a natural lifespan for each person, but living recklessly can lead to an untimely death. This serves as a sobering reminder of the temporal nature of life and the importance of living in accordance with God's will. In the historical context of ancient Israel, where life was often precarious due to war, disease, and famine, this warning would have resonated deeply, urging individuals to live wisely and righteously to avoid unnecessary calamity.

Verse 17. - Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish. These two injunctions are parallel and correlative to those in ver. 16 concerning over-righteousness and over-wisdom. But the present verse cannot be meant, as at first sight it seems to do, to sanction a certain amount of wickedness provided it does not exceed due measure. To surmount this difficulty some have undeavored to modify the term "wicked" (rasha), taking it to mean "engaged in worldly matters," or "not subject to rule," "lax," or again "restless," as some translate the word in Job 3:17. But the word seems not to be used in any such senses, and bears uniformly the uncompromising signification assigned to it, "to be wicked, unrighteous, guilty." The difficulty is not overcome by Plumptre's suggestion of the introduction of a little "playful irony learned from Greek teachers," as if Koheleth meant, "I have warned you, my friends, against over-righteousness, but do not jump at the conclusion that license is allowable. That was very far from my meaning." The connection of thought is this: in the previous verse Koheleth had denounced the Pharisaical spirit which virtually condemned the Divine ordering of circumstances, because vice was not at once and visibly punished, and virtue at once rewarded; and now he proceeds to warn against the deliberate and abominable wickedness which infers from God's long-suffering his absolute neglect and non- interference in mortal matters, and on this view plunges audaciously into vice and immorality, saying to itself, "God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it" (Psalm 10:11). Such conduct may well be called "foolish;" it is that of "the fool who says in his heart, There is no God" (Psalm 14:1). The actual wording of the injunction sounds to us somewhat strange; but its form is determined by the requirements of parallelism, and the aphorism must not be pressed beyond its general intention, "Be not righteous nor wise to excess; be not wicked nor foolish to excess." Septuagint, "Be not very wicked, and be not stubborn (σκληρός)." Why shouldest thou die before thy time? literally, not in thy time; prematurely, tempting God to punish thee by retributive judgment, or shortening thy days by vicious excesses. (For the former, see Job 22:16; Psalm 55:23; Proverbs 10:27; and comp. 1 Samuel 2:31, 33; and for the latter, Proverbs 5:23; Proverbs 7:23-27; Proverbs 10:21.) The Syriac contains a clause not given in any other version, "that thou mayest not be hated." As is often the case, both in this book and in Proverbs, a general statement in one place is reduced by a contrariant or modified opinion in another. Thus the prolongation of the life of the wicked, noticed in ver. 15, is here shown to be abnormal, impiety in the usual course of events having a tendency to shorten life. In this way hasty generalization is corrected, and the Divine arrangement is vindicated.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be excessively
הַרְבֵּ֖ה (har·bêh)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great

wicked,
תִּרְשַׁ֥ע (tir·ša‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7561: To be, wrong, to disturb, violate

and do not
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be
תְּהִ֣י (tə·hî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a fool.
סָכָ֑ל (sā·ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5530: A fool

Why
לָ֥מָּה (lām·māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

should you die
תָמ֖וּת (ṯā·mūṯ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

before
בְּלֹ֥א (bə·lō)
Preposition-b | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

your time?
עִתֶּֽךָ׃ (‘it·te·ḵā)
Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6256: Time, now, when


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 7:17 Don't be too wicked neither be foolish (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)