Bible Strands
Ecclesiastes 5:3
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Preacher addresses listeners already warned to restrain their speech before God, placing this observation between commands to avoid hasty utterances and to fulfill vows promptly.
The words — The Hebrew term חֲלוֹם (ḥalom) means "dream" and עִנְיָן ('inyān) denotes "business" or "care," forming a simile where dreams arise from abundant anxieties. The phrase כְּסִיל (kĕsîl) translates directly to "fool," whose speech is characterized by a multitude of words.
The thread — The theme of foolish verbosity appears in Proverbs 10:19, which links many words to unavoidable sin, and Proverbs 15:2, which contrasts the fool's spouting folly with the wise man's commendation of knowledge. Ecclesiastes 10:12 adds that a fool's lips consume him through excessive speech.
Why it lands — The text states that just as dreams emerge from numerous anxieties, a fool's speech multiplies without purpose. It demands that readers recognize verbosity as a marker of foolishness and exercise restraint when speaking.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool spouts folly.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Job 11:2 “Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a speaker be vindicated?