Ecclesiastes 10:14

For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.

Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this:

Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise.

He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.

Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words.

‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’

A prudent man keeps his knowledge, but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

Men will clap their hands at him, and will hiss him out of his place.

“Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,

I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head.

Every prudent man acts from knowledge, but a fool exposes folly.

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.

The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.

Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

For man also doesn’t know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.

This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”

for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity, for that is your portion in life, and in your labor in which you labor under the sun.

Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

this is the word which Yahweh has spoken concerning him. The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.

The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary. He awakens morning by morning, he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

All that pass by clap their hands at you. They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, “Is this the city that men called ‘The perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth’?”

“The king will do according to his will. He will exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and will speak marvelous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the indignation is accomplished; for that which is determined will be done.

But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.

So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!

Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

“Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, for Yahweh is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”

This is the word that Yahweh has spoken concerning him: ‘The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you.

“Shouldn’t the multitude of words be answered? Should a man full of talk be justified?

in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God,

The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.

Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”

Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!

The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.

One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God.

Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Who are they among all the gods of these countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that Yahweh should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’ ”

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.

because they have done foolish things in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn’t command them. I am he who knows, and am witness,” says Yahweh.

You will know that I, Yahweh, have heard all your insults which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They have been laid desolate. They have been given us to devour.’

If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,

For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God.”

Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”

In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them.

A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.

You have magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and have multiplied your words against me. I have heard it.”