Ecclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
Brenton Septuagint
In The King James Version
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
In Context
11If a serpent bite when there is no charmer's whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
Cross References
2 Samuel 1:16And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thine own head; for thy mouth has + 1:16 Gr. answered.testified against thee, saying, I have slain the anointed of the Lord.
Job 4:3For whereas thou hast instructed many, and hast strengthened the hands of the weak one,
Psalms 64:8who troublest the depth of the sea, the sounds of its waves.
Psalms 140:9Keep me from the snare which they have set for me, and from the stumbling-blocks of them that work iniquity.
Proverbs 10:10He that winks with his eyes deceitfully, procures griefs for men; but he that reproves boldly is a peacemaker.
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 10:5-12
Mutual Duties of Princes and Subjects. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones… Read the whole commentary →