If bites the snake before the charm is sung, then what is the profit of the skilful tongue?
(11.) If bites the serpent (with the article, and therefore generic——serpents generally) without (בלוא; we may well suppose that the full form is used not without meaning; it occurs Isaiah lv. 1, 2, in the sense of ‘the absence of,’ which well suits the context here,) whispering (occurs Isaiah ii. 3, 20, and xxvi. 6; Jeremiah viii. 17, etc.), and there is nothing of profit to the master of the tongue (with article, hence generic. The rendering of the Authorized Version is derived from the Vulgate. The alliteration shows that the aphorism is equivocal, it is the converse of the former: skill will help force, but after the mischief is done skill is of no use. There is also here an ironical depreciation of serpent-charming).
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are [¹]gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
[¹] Hebrew grace.
Each word of a wise man’s mouth is grace, but the lips of a fool will swallow him apace.
(12.) The words of (in the usual sense of reasonings) the mouth of a wise man, a favour (i.e. are each one so), but the lips of the foolish swallow him (future piel, occurs 2 Samuel xx. 19, 20; Job viii. 18, in the sense of ‘destroy;’ hence the LXX. render καταποντιοῦσιν; compare Matthew xiv. 30, xviii. 6. Here too we have a singular verb with a plural noun——‘any one of a fool’s words may be his destruction.’ Notice also the implied difference——‘a fool talks with his lips, a wise man reasons’).