Ecclesiastes 10:12 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:12-15

Solomon, having shown the benefit of wisdom, and of what great advantage it is to us in the management of our affairs, here shows the mischief of folly and how it exposes men, which perhaps comes in as a reflection upon those rulers who set folly in great dignity. I. Fools talk a great deal to no purpose, and they show their folly as much by the multitude, impertinence, and mischievousness of their words, as by any thing; whereas the words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, are grace,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:12

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious ,.... Or "grace" F21 חן "gratia", Montanus, Mercerus, Drusius, Cocceius, Rambachius. . He speaks kind and good things in favour of the characters of men, and not as the babbling detractor: he speaks well of civil magistrates and rulers in the state; of the ministers of the word in the church; and of all his fellow creatures, as far as can with truth be said: and a truly good and gracious man, who is Solomon's wise man, in opposition to a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:12

The 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 more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:12

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious ; literally, are grace ; i.e. they net only are pleasing in form and manner, but they conciliate favor, produce approbation and good will, convince and, what is more, persuade. So of our blessed Lord it was said, "All bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words ( τοῖς λόγοις τῆς χάριτος ) which proceeded out of his mouth" ( Luke 4:22 ; cutup. Psalms 45:2 ). In distinction from the unready man, who, like the snake-charmer... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:12-15

Section 14. The mention of "the master of the tongue" in Ecclesiastes 10:11 leads the author to introduce some maxims concerned with the contrast between the words and acts of the wise, and the worthless prating and useless labors of the fool . read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 10:12-15

Ecclesiastes 10:12-15. The words of a wise man are gracious Hebrew, חן , grace: as they are profitable, so they are acceptable to others, procuring him favour with those that hear him. But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself His discourses are ungracious and offensive to others, and therefore pernicious to himself. The beginning of his words is foolishness, &c. All his talk, from the beginning to the end, is foolish and sinful; the more he talks the more his folly and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Thoughts on wisdom and folly (9:13-10:20)A simple story illustrates how a person may be wise and humble, but the good he does is not appreciated by those who benefit from it. Riches, status and a show of power are the things people admire. If a person lacks these, he is ignored or despised, even though his quiet words of wisdom may save a city from destruction (13-18).One foolish act can spoil a lot of good. Stupidity leads to wrongdoing and marks a person out as a fool in the eyes of everyone... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:12

THOUGHTS REGARDING FOOLS"The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.""The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, etc." (Ecclesiastes... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 10:12

12. gracious—Thereby he takes precaution against sudden injury ( :-). swallow up himself— (Proverbs 10:8; Proverbs 10:14; Proverbs 10:21; Proverbs 10:32; Proverbs 12:13; Proverbs 15:2; Proverbs 22:11). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Ecclesiastes 10:12-15

These proverbs deal with the wise and unwise use of the tongue. Generally, wise people speak graciously, but fools destroy themselves by the way they speak. The fool continues to talk even though neither he nor anyone else can tell what the future holds. The picture here seems to be of the fool making dogmatic statements about the future. The fool also does not even perceive what is most obvious. He is so shortsighted that he sees no value in his work (Ecclesiastes 10:15 a). "How to go to a... read more