Ecclesiastes 10:14
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
- 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?
- WEB
- A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
- ASV
- A fool also multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
- DARBY
- And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
- BLB
- And the fool multiplies words. Man does not know what will come to be, and of what will come to be after him, who can declare [it] to him?
- ÅB
- Dåren taler mange ord, enda mennesket ikke vet hva som skal hende, og hvem sier ham hva som skal hende etter hans tid?
- OTB
- Likevel mangfoldiggjør dåren ord. Ingen vet hva som vil skje, og hvem kan fortelle ham hva som vil komme etter ham?
- B1930
- Dåren taler mange ord, enda mennesket ikke vet hvad som skal hende, og hvem sier ham hvad som skal hende efter hans tid?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 5:3
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
Read in contextJames 4:13–14
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”
Read in contextEcclesiastes 8:7
Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?
Read in contextEcclesiastes 3:22
I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?
Read in contextEcclesiastes 6:12
For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?
Read in contextProverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
Read in contextJob 35:16
So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”
Read in context