12 The words H1697 of a wise man's H2450 mouth H6310 are gracious; H2580 but the lips H8193 of a fool H3684 will swallow up H1104 himself.
And G2532 all G3956 bare G3140 him G846 witness, G3140 and G2532 wondered G2296 at G1909 the gracious G5485 words G3056 which G3588 proceeded G1607 out of G1537 his G846 mouth. G4750 And G2532 they said, G3004 Is G2076 not G3756 this G3778 Joseph's G2501 son? G5207
Let G4550 no G3361 G3956 corrupt G4550 communication G3056 proceed G1607 out of G1537 your G5216 mouth, G4750 but G235 that which G1536 is good G18 to G4314 the use G5532 of edifying, G3619 that G2443 it may minister G1325 grace G5485 unto the hearers. G191
There is H3426 that speaketh H981 like the piercings H4094 of a sword: H2719 but the tongue H3956 of the wise H2450 is health. H4832
And G1161 he saith G3004 unto him, G846 Out of G1537 thine own G4675 mouth G4750 will I judge G2919 thee, G4571 thou wicked G4190 servant. G1401 Thou knewest G1492 that G3754 I G1473 was G1510 an austere G840 man, G444 taking up G142 that G3739 I laid G5087 not G3756 down, G5087 and G2532 reaping G2325 that G3739 I did G4687 not G3756 sow: G4687
A good G18 man G444 out of G1537 the good G18 treasure G2344 of the heart G2588 bringeth forth G1544 good things: G18 and G2532 an evil G4190 man G444 out of G1537 the evil G4190 treasure G2344 bringeth forth G1544 evil things. G4190
A word H1697 fitly H212 H655 spoken H1696 is like apples H8598 of gold H2091 in pictures H4906 of silver. H3701 As an earring H5141 of gold, H2091 and an ornament H2481 of fine gold, H3800 so is a wise H2450 reprover H3198 upon an obedient H8085 ear. H241
A false H8267 witness H5707 shall not be unpunished, H5352 and he that speaketh H6315 lies H3577 shall not escape. H4422
A fool's H3684 lips H8193 enter H935 into contention, H7379 and his mouth H6310 calleth H7121 for strokes. H4112 A fool's H3684 mouth H6310 is his destruction, H4288 and his lips H8193 are the snare H4170 of his soul. H5315 The words H1697 of a talebearer H5372 are as wounds, H3859 and they go down H3381 into the innermost parts H2315 of the belly. H990
The wise H2450 in heart H3820 shall be called H7121 prudent: H995 and the sweetness H4986 of the lips H8193 increaseth H3254 learning. H3948 Understanding H7922 is a wellspring H4726 of life H2416 unto him that hath H1167 it: but the instruction H4148 of fools H191 is folly. H200 The heart H3820 of the wise H2450 teacheth H7919 his mouth, H6310 and addeth H3254 learning H3948 to his lips. H8193 Pleasant H5278 words H561 are as an honeycomb, H6688 H1706 sweet H4966 to the soul, H5315 and health H4832 to the bones. H6106
A man H376 hath joy H8057 by the answer H4617 of his mouth: H6310 and a word H1697 spoken in due season, H6256 how good H2896 is it!
And David H1732 said H559 unto him, Thy blood H1818 be upon thy head; H7218 for thy mouth H6310 hath testified H6030 against thee, saying, H559 I have slain H4191 the LORD'S H3068 anointed. H4899
The wicked H7451 is snared H4170 by the transgression H6588 of his lips: H8193 but the just H6662 shall come out H3318 of trouble. H6869 A man H376 shall be satisfied H7646 with good H2896 by the fruit H6529 of his mouth: H6310 and the recompence H1576 of a man's H120 hands H3027 shall be rendered H7725 H7725 unto him.
The mouth H6310 of the just H6662 bringeth forth H5107 wisdom: H2451 but the froward H8419 tongue H3956 shall be cut out. H3772 The lips H8193 of the righteous H6662 know H3045 what is acceptable: H7522 but the mouth H6310 of the wicked H7563 speaketh frowardness. H8419
The tongue H3956 of the just H6662 is as choice H977 silver: H3701 the heart H3820 of the wicked H7563 is little worth. H4592 The lips H8193 of the righteous H6662 feed H7462 many: H7227 but fools H191 die H4191 for want H2638 of wisdom. H3820
In the lips H8193 of him that hath understanding H995 wisdom H2451 is found: H4672 but a rod H7626 is for the back H1460 of him that is void H2638 of understanding. H3820 Wise H2450 men lay up H6845 knowledge: H1847 but the mouth H6310 of the foolish H191 is near H7138 destruction. H4288
He that winketh H7169 with the eye H5869 causeth H5414 sorrow: H6094 but a prating H8193 fool H191 shall fall. H3832
My mouth H6310 shall shew forth H5608 thy righteousness H6666 and thy salvation H8668 all the day; H3117 for I know H3045 not the numbers H5615 thereof. I will go in H935 the strength H1369 of the Lord H136 GOD: H3069 I will make mention H2142 of thy righteousness, H6666 even of thine only. O God, H430 thou hast taught H3925 me from my youth: H5271 and hitherto have I declared H5046 thy wondrous works. H6381 Now also when H5704 I am old H2209 and grayheaded, H7872 O God, H430 forsake H5800 me not; until I have shewed H5046 thy strength H2220 unto this generation, H1755 and thy power H1369 to every one that is to come. H935
So they shall make their own tongue H3956 to fall H3782 upon themselves: all that see H7200 them shall flee away. H5074
I have preached H1319 righteousness H6664 in the great H7227 congregation: H6951 lo, I have not refrained H3607 my lips, H8193 O LORD, H3068 thou knowest. H3045 I have not hid H3680 thy righteousness H6666 within H8432 my heart; H3820 I have declared H559 thy faithfulness H530 and thy salvation: H8668 I have not concealed H3582 thy lovingkindness H2617 and thy truth H571 from the great H7227 congregation. H6951
The mouth H6310 of the righteous H6662 speaketh H1897 wisdom, H2451 and his tongue H3956 talketh H1696 of judgment. H4941
And as thy servant H5650 was busy H6213 here and there, he was gone. H369 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto him, So shall thy judgment H4941 be; thyself hast decided H2782 it. And he hasted, H4116 and took the ashes H666 away H5493 from his face; H5869 and the king H4428 of Israel H3478 discerned H5234 him that he was of the prophets. H5030 And he said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Because thou hast let go H7971 out of thy hand H3027 a man H376 whom I appointed to utter destruction, H2764 therefore thy life H5315 shall go for his life, H5315 and thy people H5971 for his people. H5971
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
Ec 10:1-20.
1. Following up Ec 9:18.
him that is in reputation—for example, David (2Sa 12:14); Solomon (1Ki 11:1-43); Jehoshaphat (2Ch 18:1-34; 19:2); Josiah (2Ch 35:22). The more delicate the perfume, the more easily spoiled is the ointment. Common oil is not so liable to injury. So the higher a man's religious character is, the more hurt is caused by a sinful folly in him. Bad savor is endurable in oil, but not in what professes to be, and is compounded by the perfumer ("apothecary") for, fragrance. "Flies" answer to "a little folly" (sin), appropriately, being small (1Co 5:6); also, "Beelzebub" means prince of flies. "Ointment" answers to "reputation" (Ec 7:1; Ge 34:30). The verbs are singular, the noun plural, implying that each of the flies causes the stinking savor.
2. (Ec 2:14).
right—The right hand is more expert than the left. The godly wise is more on his guard than the foolish sinner, though at times he slip. Better a diamond with a flaw, than a pebble without one.
3. by the way—in his ordinary course; in his simplest acts (Pr 6:12-14). That he "saith," virtually, "that he" himself, &c. [Septuagint]. But Vulgate, "He thinks that every one (else whom he meets) is a fool."
4. spirit—anger.
yielding pacifieth—(Pr 15:1). This explains "leave not thy place"; do not in a resisting spirit withdraw from thy post of duty (Ec 8:3).
5. as—rather, "by reason of an error" [Maurer and Holden].
6. rich—not in mere wealth, but in wisdom, as the antithesis to "folly" (for "foolish men") shows. So Hebrew, rich, equivalent to "liberal," in a good sense (Isa 32:5). Mordecai and Haman (Es 3:1, 2; 6:6-11).
7. servants upon horses—the worthless exalted to dignity (Jer 17:25); and vice versa (2Sa 15:30).
8. The fatal results to kings of such an unwise policy; the wrong done to others recoils on themselves (Ec 8:9); they fall into the pit which they dug for others (Es 7:10; Ps 7:15; Pr 26:27). Breaking through the wise fences of their throne, they suffer unexpectedly themselves; as when one is stung by a serpent lurking in the stones of his neighbor's garden wall (Ps 80:12), which he maliciously pulls down (Am 5:19).
9. removeth stones—namely, of an ancient building [Weiss]. His neighbor's landmarks [Holden]. Cuts out from the quarry [Maurer].
endangered—by the splinters, or by the head of the hatchet, flying back on himself. Pithy aphorisms are common in the East. The sense is: Violations of true wisdom recoil on the perpetrators.
10. iron … blunt—in "cleaving wood" (Ec 10:9), answering to the "fool set in dignity" (Ec 10:6), who wants sharpness. More force has then to be used in both cases; but "force" without judgment "endangers" one's self. Translate, "If one hath blunted his iron" [Maurer]. The preference of rash to judicious counsellors, which entailed the pushing of matters by force, proved to be the "hurt" of Rehoboam (1Ki 12:1-33).
wisdom is profitable to direct—to a prosperous issue. Instead of forcing matters by main "strength" to one's own hurt (Ec 9:16, 18).
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 (Ps 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.
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).
13. Illustrating the folly and injuriousness of the fool's words; last clause of Ec 10:12.
14. full of words—(Ec 5:2).
a man cannot tell what shall be—(Ec 3:22; 6:12; 8:7; 11:2; Pr 27:1). If man, universally (including the wise man), cannot foresee the future, much less can the fool; his "many words" are therefore futile.
15. labour … wearieth—(Isa 55:2; Hab 2:13).
knoweth not how to go to the city—proverb for ignorance of the most ordinary matters (Ec 10:3); spiritually, the heavenly city (Ps 107:7; Mt 7:13, 14). Maurer connects Ec 10:15 with the following verses. The labor (vexation) caused by the foolish (injurious princes, Ec 10:4-7) harasses him who "knows not how to go to the city," to ingratiate himself with them there. English Version is simpler.
16. a child—given to pleasures; behaves with childish levity. Not in years; for a nation may be happy under a young prince, as Josiah.
eat in the morning—the usual time for dispensing justice in the East (Jer 21:12); here, given to feasting (Isa 5:11; Ac 2:15).
17. son of nobles—not merely in blood, but in virtue, the true nobility (So 7:1; Isa 32:5, 8).
in due season—(Ec 3:1), not until duty has first been attended to.
for strength—to refresh the body, not for revelry (included in "drunkenness").
18. building—literally, "the joining of the rafters," namely, the kingdom (Ec 10:16; Isa 3:6; Am 9:11).
hands—(Ec 4:5; Pr 6:10).
droppeth—By neglecting to repair the roof in time, the rain gets through.
19. Referring to Ec 10:18. Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to "building"), the princes "make a feast for laughter (Ec 10:16), and wine maketh their life glad (Ps 104:15), and (but) money supplieth (answereth their wishes by supplying) all things," that is, they take bribes to support their extravagance; and hence arise the wrongs that are perpetrated (Ec 10:5, 6; 3:16; Isa 1:23; 5:23). Maurer takes "all things" of the wrongs to which princes are instigated by "money"; for example, the heavy taxes, which were the occasion of Rehoboam losing ten tribes (1Ki 12:4, &c.).
20. thought—literally, "consciousness."
rich—the great. The language, as applied to earthly princes knowing the "thought," is figurative. But it literally holds good of the King of kings (Ps 139:1-24), whose consciousness of every evil thought we should ever realize.
bed-chamber—the most secret place (2Ki 6:12).
bird of the air, &c.—proverbial (compare Hab 2:11; Lu 19:40); in a way as marvellous and rapid, as if birds or some winged messenger carried to the king information of the curse so uttered. In the East superhuman sagacity was attributed to birds (see on Job 28:21; hence the proverb).