Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Ecclesiastes 10:12-14

The Importance Of Wise Words (Ecclesiastes 10:12). .

10.l2-13 ‘The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool swallow him up. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.'

The wise man always speaks so as to soothe and win favour, except where admonition is necessary and justified. He makes friends and not enemies with his tongue. But the fool speaks in such a way that he brings disaster on himself. When he starts speaking he speaks foolishly, but this develops into wicked madness. He does not watch what he says. He is a fool.

Ecclesiastes 10:14

‘A fool also multiplies words, a man does not know what will be. And who can tell him what will be after him?'

The fool talk a lot of nonsense about the future. But no one knows what will happen. That being so how can he tell him others what is most important for the future? How can he say what will follow for a man's family when he is dead? In other words the fool is not the man to sort out your future with, and especially your will. Make sure that you entrust these tasks to the wise.

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Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Ecclesiastes 10:12-14

Old Testament

New Testament