Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 10:12–13

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.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The words	דִּבְרֵ֥י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
of a wise man’s	חָכָ֖ם	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
mouth	פִי־	p̄î-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
are gracious	חֵ֑ן	ḥên	Noun - masculine singular	H2580 favour, grace
but the lips	וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת	wə·śip̄·ṯō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct	H8193 lip, speech, edge
of a fool	כְּסִ֖יל	kə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
consume him	תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃	tə·ḇal·lə·‘en·nū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine singular	H1104 swallow down, swallow up, engulf

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The beginning	תְּחִלַּ֥ת	tə·ḥil·laṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H8462 beginning
of his talk	דִּבְרֵי־	diḇ·rê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
is folly	סִכְל֑וּת	siḵ·lūṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5531 folly
and the end	וְאַחֲרִ֣ית	wə·’a·ḥă·rîṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H319 after-part, end
of his speech	פִּ֔יהוּ	pî·hū	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
is evil	רָעָֽה׃	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
madness	הוֹלֵל֖וּת	hō·w·lê·lūṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1948 id.

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 10:12 Colossians 4:6 · Luke 4:22 · Proverbs 22:11 · Proverbs 15:2 · Ephesians 4:29 · Proverbs 10:31–32 · Proverbs 10:20–21 · Proverbs 10:13–14 · Proverbs 15:23 · Proverbs 12:18 · Luke 19:22 · Proverbs 22:17–18

Ecclesiastes 10:13 Proverbs 29:9 · 1 Samuel 25:10–11

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.