Ecclesiastes 10:14
in Ecclesiastes 10Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
KJV
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
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This verse in Ecclesiastes 10
Commentary
10 notes on this verse"His talk begins as foolishness and ends as evil madness. The fool prates on and on, but man does not know what will be; and who can tell him what will be after him? "So far the discussion has been about the fool, whose lips teach the wise man, or according to another interpretation, his lips make himself corrupt. The beginning and the end of his speech are foolishness and evil madness; or as Symmachus has translated it, confusion, or some kind of inconsistency of words.
This site's exposition
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious
on Ecclesiastes 10:12-15
The fool's words are traced as a progression: The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. His talk begins in folly and ends in evil madness, and the fool multiplies words about a future no one can know.
This site's exposition
the fool multiplies words
Barnes hears the fool's many words as confident talk about what is coming, the boast James 4:13 rebukes. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown reason that no one knows what will come, so the fool's words about it are futile. Henry adds that he must have the last word.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Furthermore, he perseveres in folly: therefore he adds: The fool multiplies words, thus by multiplying foolish words he becomes obstinate in malice: against which in the Psalm: "Incline not my heart to words of malice" etc.; and this is useless and vain, whence it is …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
A fool also is full of words,.... Or, "multiplies words" (y).
He will have the last word, though it be but the same with that which was the first. What is wanting in the weight and strength of his words he endeavours in vain to make up in the number of them; and they must be repeated, because otherwise there is nothing in them to make them regarded.
Full of words - Forward to promise and boast what he will do, whereas none can be sure of future events, even during his own life, much more after his death.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
full of words-- (Ec 5:2). a man cannot tell what shall be-- (Ec 3:22; If man, universally (including the wise man), cannot foresee the future, much less can the fool; his "many words" are therefore futile.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A man cannot tell what shall be - A foolish babbling man will talk on every subject, though he can say as little on the past, as he can on the future.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Full of words - Confident talking of the future is indicated rather than mere loquacity. Compare Jas 4:13.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
The beginning of his words is foolishness. When the Holy One, Blessed Is He, said to him [Bilam], “Who are these men with you?” 23 Bamidbar:9.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַסָּכָ֖ל | vehasakhal | and the fool | H5530 → | 7 times |
| יַרְבֶּ֣ה | yarbeh | he multiplies | H7235 → | 227 times |
| דְבָרִ֑ים | devarim | words | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יֵדַ֤ע | yeda' | he knows | H3045 → | 945 times |
| הָאָדָם֙ | haadam | the person | H120 → | 551 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה | sheiyihyeh | that <it> will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר | vaasher | and which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִֽהְיֶה֙ | yihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו | meacharav | from after him | H310 → | 715 times |
| מִ֖י | mi | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יַגִּ֥יד | yagid | will he tell | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לֽוֹ׃ | lo | to <the> him |
וְהַסָּכָ֖לand the fool
vehasakhalH5530 →7 times
יַרְבֶּ֣הhe multiplies
yarbehH7235 →227 times
דְבָרִ֑יםwords
devarimH1697 →1440 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יֵדַ֤עhe knows
yeda'H3045 →945 times
הָאָדָם֙the person
haadamH120 →551 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔הthat <it> will be
sheiyihyehH1961 →3559 times
וַאֲשֶׁ֤רand which
vaasherH834 →5497 times
יִֽהְיֶה֙it will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יוfrom after him
meacharavH310 →715 times
מִ֖יwho?
miH4310 →423 times
יַגִּ֥ידwill he tell
yagidH5046 →370 times
לֽוֹ׃to <the> him
lo
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ecclesiastes 5:3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
- Proverbs 15:2
Through
Ecclesiastes 3:22I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 6:12
For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 2:24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
- Ecclesiastes 6:12
Through
Ecclesiastes 6:12For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him…
it leads to
- James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
- Job 14:2
Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
- Ecclesiastes 3:22
I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?
- James 4:14
Through
Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
it leads to
- Proverbs 12:23
A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself, but a foolish heart proclaims its folly.
- Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil.
- Proverbs 12:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Ecclesiastes; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.