New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 10:14
14A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be 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 Living Translation (NLT)they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future.
Context of Ecclesiastes 10:14
12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; 13The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him? 15The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city! 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, 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 5:3For a dream comes through much activity, And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
- Proverbs 10:19In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
- Job 34:37For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.”
- Job 35:16Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain; He multiplies words without knowledge.”
- Ecclesiastes 3:22So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
- Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
- Ecclesiastes 8:7For he does not know what will happen; So who can tell him when it will occur?
- James 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries