Ecclesiastes 10 · Verse 12

Ecclesiastes 10:12

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Ecclesiastes 10:12, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:12 in other translations

BSBThe words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
WEBThe words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
ASVThe words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
YLTWords of the mouth of the wise are gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
DARBYThe words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.
BBEThe words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
WebsterThe words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. gracious--Thereby he takes precaution against sudden injury (Ec 10:11). swallow up himself--(Pr 10:8, 14, 21, 32; 12:13; 15:2; 22:11).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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.

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…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 10:11-15 →

Ecclesiastes 10:12 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.

דִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.Rei[the] words ofH1697
פִי\־fi-[the] mouth ofH6310
חָכָ֖םcha.Khama wise [person]H2450
חֵ֑ןChen[are] favorH2580
וְשִׂפְת֥וֹתve.sif.Totand [the] lips ofH8193
כְּסִ֖ילke.Sila foolH3684
תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ\׃te.val.le.'E.nuit swallows himH1104

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:12

  • Colossians 4:6

    Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

  • Luke 4:22

    And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

  • Proverbs 15:2

    The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

  • Proverbs 22:11

    He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

  • Ephesians 4:29

    Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

  • Proverbs 10:20-21

    The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

  • Proverbs 10:13-14

    In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

  • Proverbs 10:31-32

    The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

  • Proverbs 18:6-8

    A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

  • Job 4:3-4

    Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

  • Luke 19:22

    And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

  • Proverbs 15:23

    A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
words.
Job 4:3,4; 16:5; Ps 37:30; 40:9,10; 71:15-18; Pr 10:13,20,21,31,32
Pr 12:13,14,18; 15:2,23; 16:21-24; 22:17,18; 25:11,12; 31:26
Mt 12:35; Lu 4:22; Eph 4:29; Col 4:6
gracious. Heb. grace. but.
2Sa 1:16; 1Ki 20:40-42; Ps 64:8; 140:9; Pr 10:8,10,14; 18:6-8; 19:5
Pr 26:9; Lu 19:22

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:13

    The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Las palabras de la boca del sabio son gracia; mas los labios del necio causan su propia ruina.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les paroles de la bouche du sage sont pleines de grâce, mais les lèvres d’un sot l’engloutissent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Worte des Mundes eines Weisen sind Anmut, aber die Lippen eines Toren verschlingen ihn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum;