12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
And they were all giving witness, with wonder, to the words of grace which came from his mouth: and they said, Is not this the son of Joseph?
Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words.
Let no evil talk come out of your mouth, but only what is good for giving necessary teaching, and for grace to those who give ear.
There are some whose uncontrolled talk is like the wounds of a sword, but the tongue of the wise makes one well again.
The good man out of his good store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things.
Her mouth is open to give out wisdom, and the law of mercy is on her tongue.
A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver. Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
Let your ear be bent down for hearing my words, and let your heart give thought to knowledge. For it is a delight to keep them in your heart, to have them ready on your lips.
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.
A foolish man's lips are a cause of fighting, and his mouth makes him open to blows. The mouth of a foolish man is his destruction, and his lips are a net for his soul. The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, and go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
The wise-hearted will be named men of good sense: and by pleasing words learning is increased. Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour. The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips. Pleasing words are like honey, sweet to the soul and new life to the bones.
A man has joy in the answer of his mouth: and a word at the right time, how good it is!
And David said to him, May your blood be on your head; for your mouth has given witness against you, saying, I have put to death the man marked with the holy oil.
The mouth of the upright man is budding with wisdom, but the twisted tongue will be cut off. The lips of the upright man have knowledge of what is pleasing, but twisted are the mouths of evil-doers.
The tongue of the upright man is like tested silver: the heart of the evil-doer is of little value. The lips of the upright man give food to men, but the foolish come to death for need of sense.
He who makes signs with his eyes is a cause of trouble, but he who makes a man see his errors is a cause of peace.
The wise-hearted man will let himself be ruled, but the man whose talk is foolish will have a fall.
My mouth will make clear your righteousness and your salvation all the day; for they are more than may be measured. I will give news of the great acts of the Lord God; my words will be of your righteousness, and of yours only. O God, you have been my teacher from the time when I was young; and I have been talking of your works of wonder even till now. Now when I am old and grey-headed, O God, give me not up; till I have made clear your strength to this generation, and your power to all those to come.
The evil of their tongues is the cause of their fall; all those who see them are shaking their heads at them.
I have given news of righteousness in the great meeting; O Lord, you have knowledge that I have not kept back my words. Your righteousness has not been folded away in my heart; I have made clear your true word and your salvation; I have not kept secret your mercy or your faith from the great meeting.
The mouth of the good man says words of wisdom; the talk of his tongue is of righteousness.
I might give you strength with my mouth, and not keep back the comfort of my lips.
But while your servant was turning this way and that, he was gone. Then the king of Israel said to him, You are responsible; you have given the decision against yourself. Then he quickly took the head-band from his eyes; and the king of Israel saw that he was one of the prophets. And he said to him, These are the words of the Lord: Because you have let go from your hands the man whom I had put to the curse, your life will be taken for his life, and your people for his people.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 10
This chapter seems to be like Solomon's proverbs, a collection of wise sayings and observations, rather than a part of his sermon; but the preacher studied to be sententious, and "set in order many proverbs,' to be brought in in his preaching. Yet the general scope of all the observations in this chapter is to recommend wisdom to us, and its precepts and rules, as of great use for the right ordering of our conversation and to caution us against folly.
Happy the nation when princes and people make conscience of their duty according to these rules.
Ecc 10:1-3
In these verses Solomon shows,
Ecc 10:4-11
The scope of these verses is to keep subjects loyal and dutiful to the government. In Solomon's reign the people were very rich, and lived in prosperity, which perhaps made them proud and petulant, and when the taxes were high, though they had enough to pay them with, it is probable that many conducted themselves insolently towards the government and threatened to rebel. To such Solomon here gives some necessary cautions.
Ecc 10:12-15
Solomon, having shown the benefit of wisdom, and of what great advantage it is to us in the management of our affairs, here shows the mischief of folly and how it exposes men, which perhaps comes in as a reflection upon those rulers who set folly in great dignity.
Ecc 10:16-20
Solomon here observes,