Ecclesiastes 10:12
New International Version
Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.

New Living Translation
Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words.

English Standard Version
The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.

Berean Standard Bible
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

King James Bible
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

New King James Version
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;

New American Standard Bible
Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;

NASB 1995
Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;

NASB 1977
Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;

Legacy Standard Bible
Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool swallow him up;

Amplified Bible
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious and win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him;

Christian Standard Bible
The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

American Standard Version
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The words of the mouth of the wise one are glory, and the lips of a fool ruin him

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.

Contemporary English Version
If you talk sensibly, you will have friends; if you talk foolishly, you will destroy yourself.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.

English Revised Version
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A wise person's words win favors, but a fool's lips are self-destructive.

Good News Translation
What the wise say brings them honor, but fools are destroyed by their own words.

International Standard Version
The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him.

JPS Tanakh 1917
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

Literal Standard Version
Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, | And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

Majority Standard Bible
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

New American Bible
Words from the mouth of the wise win favor, but the lips of fools consume them.

NET Bible
The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive.

New Revised Standard Version
Words spoken by the wise bring them favor, but the lips of fools consume them.

New Heart English Bible
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

Webster's Bible Translation
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

World English Bible
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

Young's Literal Translation
Words of the mouth of the wise are gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wisdom and Folly
11If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. 12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. 13The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.…

Cross References
Luke 4:22
All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" they asked.

Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

Proverbs 10:14
The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction.

Proverbs 10:32
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

Proverbs 18:7
A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

Proverbs 22:11
He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.

Ecclesiastes 4:5
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.


Treasury of Scripture

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

words

Job 4:3,4
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands…

Job 16:5
But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

Psalm 37:30
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

gracious

2 Samuel 1:16
And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

1 Kings 20:40-42
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it

Psalm 64:8
So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

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Consume Consumed Destruction Favor Fool Foolish Gracious Lips Mouth Swallow Swallowed Sweet Win Wise Words
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Consume Consumed Destruction Favor Fool Foolish Gracious Lips Mouth Swallow Swallowed Sweet Win Wise Words
Ecclesiastes 10
1. observations of wisdom and folly
7. death in life
9. and the day of judgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on














Verses 12-15. - Section 14. The mention of "the master of the tongue" in ver. 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. Verse 12. - The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; literally, are grace (χάρις, Septuagint); 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. Psalm 45:2). In distinction from the unready man, who, like the snake-charmer in the preceding verse, suffers-by reason of his untimely silence, the wise man uses his speech opportunely and to good purpose. (A different result is given in Ecclesiastes 9:11.) But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. This is a stronger ex-prosaic, than "ruin" or "destroy." Speaking without due forethought, he compromises himself] says what he has shamefully to withdraw, and brings punishment on his own head (cutup. Proverbs 10:8, 21; Proverbs 18:7).

Ῥῆμα παρὰ καιρὸν ῤιφθὲν ἀνατρέπει βίον.

"Untimely speech has ruined many a life."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The words
דִּבְרֵ֥י (diḇ·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of a wise man’s
חָכָ֖ם (ḥā·ḵām)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2450: Wise

mouth
פִי־ (p̄î-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

are gracious,
חֵ֑ן (ḥên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2580: Graciousness, subjective, objective

but the lips
וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת (wə·śip̄·ṯō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin

of a fool
כְּסִ֖יל (kə·sîl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

consume him.
תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ (tə·ḇal·lə·‘en·nū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1104: To swallow down, swallow up, engulf


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 10:12 The words of a wise man's mouth (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 10:11
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