Ecclesiastes 7:7

Easy To Read Version

Even a wise man will forget his wisdom,\par if someone pays him enough money.\par That money destroys his understanding.\par

Cross References

Exodus 23:8

“If a person tries to pay you to agree with him when he is wrong, don’t accept that payment. A payment like that can blind judges so that they can’t see the truth. And a payment like that can make good people tell lies.

Proverbs 17:23

An evil person accepts secret payment for cheating other people.

Proverbs 17:8

Some people think a bribe is like a lucky charm—wherever they go, it seems to work.

Ecclesiastes 4:1

Again I saw that many people are treated badly. I saw their tears. And I saw that there was no one to comfort those sad people. I saw cruel people had all the power. And I saw that there was no one to comfort the people they hurt.

Ecclesiastes 5:8

In some country you might see poor people that are forced to work very hard. You might see that this is not fair to the poor people. It is against the rights of the poor people. But don’t be surprised! The ruler that forces those people to work has another ruler that forces him. And there is still another ruler that forces both of these rulers.

Ecclesiastes 8:9

I saw all those things. I thought very hard about the things that happen in this world. And I saw that people always struggle for the power to rule other people. And this is bad for them.

Isaiah 1:23

Your rulers are rebels and friends of thieves. All of your rulers demand bribes—they accept money for doing wrong things. All of your rulers take pay for cheating people. Your rulers don’t try to help the children that have no parents. And your rulers don’t listen to the needs of the women whose husbands are dead.”

Isaiah 33:15

Good, honest people that refuse to hurt others for money—\{they will live through that fire\}. Those people refuse to take bribes. They refuse to listen to plans to murder other people. They refuse to look at plans for doing bad things.

Deuteronomy 16:19

You must always be fair. You must not favor some people over other people. You must not take money to change your mind in judgment. Money blinds the eyes of wise people and changes what a good person will say.

Deuteronomy 28:65

“You will not have any peace among these nations. You will have no place to rest. The Lord will fill your mind with worry. Your eyes will feel tired. You will be very upset.

1 Samuel 12:3

Here I am. If I have done anything wrong, you must tell those things to the Lord and his chosen king. Did I steal anyone’s cow or donkey? Did I hurt or cheat anyone? Did I ever take money, or even a pair of shoes, to do something wrong? If I did any of these things, then I will make it right.”

1 Samuel 21:14

So David pretended to be crazy in front of Achish and his officers. While David was with them he acted like a crazy man. He spat on the doors of the gate. He let spit fall down his beard.

1 Samuel 8:3

But Samuel’s sons did not live the same way he did. Joel and Abijah accepted bribes. They took money secretly and changed their decisions in court. They cheated people in court.