New English Translation
Ecclesiastes 10:12
12The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive.
Ecclesiastes 10:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
- New International Version (NIV)Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
Context of Ecclesiastes 10:12
10If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success. 11If the snake should bite before it is charmed, the snake charmer is in trouble. The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive. 13At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness, 14yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future?
Read all of Ecclesiastes 10Ecclesiastes 10:12 word by word
דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי־חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:12
- Job 4:3Look, you have instructed many; you have strengthened feeble hands.
- Job 16:5But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
- Psalms 37:30The godly speak wise words and promote justice.
- Psalms 40:9I have told the great assembly about your justice. Look! I spare no words! O Lord, you know this is true.
- Psalms 71:15I will tell about your justice, and all day long proclaim your salvation, though I cannot fathom its full extent.
- Proverbs 10:13Wisdom is found in the words of the discerning person, but the one who lacks wisdom will be disciplined.
- Proverbs 12:13The evil person is ensnared by the transgression of his speech, but the righteous person escapes out of trouble.
- Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly, but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.
- Proverbs 16:21The one who is wise in heart is called discerning, and kind speech increases persuasiveness.
- Proverbs 22:17Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my instruction.
- Proverbs 25:11Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken.
- Proverbs 31:26She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.
- Matthew 12:35The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.
- Luke 4:22All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
- Ephesians 4:29You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.
- Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The words of a wise man's mouth - Every thing that proceeds from him is decent and orderly, creditable to himself, and acceptable to those who hear him. But the lips of the fool, which speak every thing at random, and have no understanding to guide them, are not only not pleasant to others, but often destructive to himself.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. 12Fools face ruin from making foolish promises, giving false testimony, and angering the wrong people (see 5:6; Proverbs 17:20; 18:6–7; 19:5, 9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. gracious--Thereby he takes precaution against sudden injury (Ec 10:11). swallow up himself--(Pr 10:8, 14, 21, 32; 12:13; 15:2; 22:11).Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:12
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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