The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 10:14 Explained

Ecclesiastes 10:14

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?

YLT: And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'

Darby: And the fool multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?

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 Reverse Interlinear

A fool  also is full  of words:  a man  cannot tell  what shall be; and what shall be after  him, who can tell  him? 

What does Ecclesiastes 10:14 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 10

1  observations of wisdom and folly
7  death in life
9  and the day of judgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 10:14 mean?

And a fool multiplies words No knows man what is to be and what will be after him who can tell him
וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־ יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־ שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ

וְהַסָּכָ֖ל  And  a  fool 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָכָל  
Sense: fool.
יַרְבֶּ֣ה  multiplies 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
דְבָרִ֑ים  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
לֹא־  No 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵדַ֤ע  knows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
הָאָדָם֙  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה  is  to  be 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר  and  what 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִֽהְיֶה֙  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו  after  him 
Parse: Preposition-m, third person masculine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יַגִּ֥יד  can  tell 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.