Ecclesiastes 10

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 ( Psalms 58:4 Psalms 58:5 ), so one may escape the sting of a calumniator by discretion ( Ecclesiastes 10:12 ), [HOLDEN]. Thus, "without enchantment" answers to "not whet the edge" ( Ecclesiastes 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. Ecclesiastes 10:8-10 , caution in acting Ecclesiastes 10:11 and following verses, caution in speaking.

12. gracious--Thereby he takes precaution against sudden injury ( Ecclesiastes 10:11 ).
swallow up himself--( Proverbs 10:8 Proverbs 10:14 Proverbs 10:21 Proverbs 10:32 , 12:13 , 15:2 , 22:11 ).

13. Illustrating the folly and injuriousness of the fool's words; last clause of Ecclesiastes 10:12 .

14. full of words--( Ecclesiastes 5:2 ).
a man cannot tell what shall be--( Ecclesiastes 3:22 , 6:12 , 8:7 , 11:2 , Proverbs 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--( Isaiah 55:2 , Habakkuk 2:13 ).
knoweth not how to go to the city--proverb for ignorance of the most ordinary matters ( Ecclesiastes 10:3 ); spiritually, the heavenly city ( Psalms 107:7 , Matthew 7:13 Matthew 7:14 ). MAURER connects Ecclesiastes 10:15 with the following verses. The labor (vexation) caused by the foolish (injurious princes, Ecclesiastes 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 ( Jeremiah 21:12 ); here, given to feasting ( Isaiah 5:11 , Acts 2:15 ).

17. son of nobles--not merely in blood, but in virtue, the true nobility ( Solomon 7:1 , Isaiah 32:5 Isaiah 32:8 ).
in due season--( Ecclesiastes 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 ( Ecclesiastes 10:16 , Isaiah 3:6 , Amos 9:11 ).
hands--( Ecclesiastes 4:5 , Proverbs 6:10 ).
droppeth--By neglecting to repair the roof in time, the rain gets through.

19. Referring to Ecclesiastes 10:18 . Instead of repairing the breaches in the commonwealth (equivalent to "building"), the princes "make a feast for laughter ( Ecclesiastes 10:16 ), and wine maketh their life glad ( Psalms 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 ( Ecclesiastes 10:5 Ecclesiastes 10:6 , Ecclesiastes 3:16 , Isaiah 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 ( 1 Kings 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 ( Psalms 139:1-24 ), whose consciousness of every evil thought we should ever realize.
bed-chamber--the most secret place ( 2 Kings 6:12 ).
bird of the air, &c.--proverbial (compare Habakkuk 2:11 , Luke 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 hence the proverb).