Ecclesiastes 10:11

Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

Ecclesiastes 10:11, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:11 in other translations

BSB	If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
WEB	If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
ASV	If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
YLT	If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
DARBY	If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
BBE	If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
Webster	Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. A "serpent will bite" if "enchantment" is not used; "and a babbling calumniator is no better." Therefore, as one may escape a serpent by charms (Psa 58:4, 5), so one may escape the sting of a calumniator by discretion (Ec 10:12), [Holden]. Thus, "without enchantment" answers to "not whet the edge" (Ec 10:10), both expressing, figuratively, want of judgment. Maurer translates, "There is no gain to the enchanter" (Margin, "master of the tongue") from his enchantments, because the serpent bites before he can use them; hence the need of continual caution. Ec 10:8-10, caution in acting; Ec 10:11 and following verses, caution in speaking.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 The serpent will bite without enchantment - בלא לחש belo lachash, without hissing. As a snake may bite before it hiss, so also will the babbler, talkative person, or calumniator. Without directly speaking evil, he insinuates, by innuendoes, things injurious to the reputation of his neighbor. Gif the eddir bite in silence, noyhing lasse than he hath that privily backbiteth - Old MS. Bible. "A babbler of his tongue is no better than a serpent that styngeth without hyssynge." - Coverdale. The moral of this saying is simply this: A calumniator is as dangerous as a poisonous serpent; and from the envenomed tongue of slander and detraction no man is safe. The comparing the serpent, נחש nachash, to a babbler, has something singular in it. I have already supposed that the creature mentioned, Gen 3:1, was of the genus simia. This has been ridiculed, but not disproved.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:11-15

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 toil a great deal to no purpose. They do not understand the plainest things, such as the entrance into a great city. But it is the excellency of the way to the heavenly city, that it is a high-way, in which the simplest wayfaring men shall not err, Is. 25:8. But sinful folly makes men miss that only way to happiness.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ecclesiastes 10:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִם\־'im-ifH518

יִשֹּׁ֥ךְyi.Shokhit will biteH5391

הַנָּחָ֖שׁha.na.Chashthe snakeH5175

בְּלוֹא\־be.lo'-with notH3808

לָ֑חַשׁLa.chashcharmingH3908

וְאֵ֣יןve.'Einand there notH369

יִתְר֔וֹןyit.Ron[is] profitH3504

לְבַ֖עַלle.Va.'alfor [the] master ofH1167

הַלָּשֽׁוֹן\׃ha.la.Shonthe tongueH3956

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:11

Jeremiah 8:17
For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.
Psalms 58:4-5
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
Psalms 52:2
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Psalms 64:3
Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the serpent.
Ps 58:4,5; Jer 8:17
a babbler. Heb. the master of the tongue.
Ps 52:2; 64:3; Pr 18:21; Jas 3:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Ecclesiastes 10:10
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Ecclesiastes 10:11
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
Ecclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Muerde la serpiente cuando no está encantada, y el lenguaraz no es mejor.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Si le serpent mord parce qu’il n’y a pas de charme, celui qui a une langue ne vaut pas mieux.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn die Schlange beißt, ehe die Beschwörung da ist, so hat der Beschwörer keinen Nutzen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.