Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Ecclesiastes 10:12-15

The words of a wise man are gracious Hebrew, חן, grace: as they are profitable, so they are acceptable to others, procuring him favour with those that hear him. But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself His discourses are ungracious and offensive to others, and therefore pernicious to himself. The beginning of his words is foolishness, &c. All his talk, from the beginning to the end, is foolish and sinful; the more he talks the more his folly and wickedness appear; and the end is mischievous madness He proceeds from evil to worse, and adds wilfulness to his weakness, and never desists till he hath done mischief to himself or others. A fool also is full of words Forward to promise and boast what he will do; which is the common practice of foolish men, and running on endlessly, and never knowing when to cease; for he will have the last word, though it be but the same with that which was the first. A man cannot tell what shall be What he will say next; his talk is so incoherent. And what shall be after him, who can tell? That is, what mischief his foolish talk may produce. The labour of the foolish wearieth, &c. Fools discover their folly by their wearisome and fruitless endeavours after things which are too high for them. Because he knoweth not, &c. He is ignorant of those things which are most easy, as of the way to the great city whither he is going.

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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Ecclesiastes 10:12-15

Old Testament

New Testament