תְּחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי פִיהוּ סִכְלוּת, שֶׁאָמַר: הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלָיִם. וְאַחֲרִית פִּיהוּ הוֹלֵלוּת רָעָה, דְּחָזַר וּבִטֵּל גְּזֵרוֹתָיו, וַאֲמַר מַאן דַּעֲבַר עֲבַר וּמַאן דְּלָא עֲבַר לָא יַעֲבֹר. דָּבָר אַחֵר, תְּחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי פִיהוּ סִכְלוּת, זֶה אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עזרא ד, ו): וּבְמַלְכוּת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ בִּתְחִלַּת מַלְכוּתוֹ כָּתְבוּ שִׂטְנָה וגו'. וְאַחְרִית פִּיהוּ, שֶׁעָלָה וּבִטֵּל מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.
“The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his mouth is evil debauchery” (Ecclesiastes 10:13). “The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness” – as [Cyrus] said: “He is the God, who is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:3). “And the end of his mouth is evil debauchery” – as he recanted and abrogated his decrees and said: Whoever has crossed has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross. Another matter: “The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness” – this is Aḥashverosh, as it is stated: “And in the reign of Aḥashverosh, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote libel [against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem]” (Ezra 4:6). “And the end of his mouth [is evil debauchery]” – as he arose and abrogated the labor of the construction of the Temple.