Christian Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 10:14
14yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?
Ecclesiastes 10:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
- New International Version (NIV)and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them?
- English Standard Version (ESV)A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?
- New King James Version (NKJV)A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him?
Context of Ecclesiastes 10:14
12The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. 13The beginning of the words from his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness; yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him? 15The struggles of fools weary them, for they don’t know how to go to the city. 16Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 10Ecclesiastes 10:14 word by word
וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:14
- Ecclesiastes 5:3Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words.
- Proverbs 10:19When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent.
- Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.
- Job 34:37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he scornfully claps in our presence, while multiplying his words against God.
- Job 35:16Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.
- Ecclesiastes 3:22I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?
- Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?
- Ecclesiastes 8:7Yet no one knows what will happen because who can tell him what will happen?
- James 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14A man cannot tell what shall be - A foolish babbling man will talk on every subject, though he can say as little on the past, as he can on the future.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Full of words - Confident talking of the future is indicated rather than mere loquacity. Compare James 4:13.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-15Verses 11-15 There is a practice in the East, of charming serpents by music. The babbler's tongue is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison; and contradiction only makes it the more violent. We must find the way to keep him gentle. But by rash, unprincipled, or slanderous talk, he brings open or secret vengeance upon himself. Would we duly consider our own ignorance as to future events, it would cut off many idle words which we foolishly multiply. Fools…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14the fool multiplies words: Fools often speak about nothing important (see Ecclesiastes 5:3; 6:11; Proverbs 10:19; 17:28). who can tell him what will come after him?: Wise people avoid foolish talk and its consequences (see James 4:13–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. full of words--(Ec 5:2). a man cannot tell what shall be--(Ec 3:22; 6:12; 8:7; 11:2; Pr 27:1). If man, universally (including the wise man), cannot foresee the future, much less can the fool; his "many words" are therefore futile.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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