Ecclesiastes 10:20New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich,—for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, & that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— Curse not the king, no not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the aire shall carry the voyce, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— Do not curse the king, no not even in your thought; and do not curse the rich in your bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. |
Curse
7043 {7043} Primeקָלַלqalal{kaw-lal'}
A primitive root; to be (causatively make) light, literally ( swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively ( easy, trifling, vile, etc.).
z8762 <8762> Grammar
Stem - Piel (See H8840) Mood - Imperfect (See H8811) Count - 2447
not
x408 (0408) Complementאַל'al{al}
A negative particle (akin to H3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing.
the king,
4428
no
x1571 (1571) Complementגַּםgam{gam}
By contraction from an unused root meaning to gather; properly assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correlation both... and.
not in thy thought;
4093 {4093} Primeמַדָּעmadda`{mad-daw'}
From H3045; intelligence or consciousness.
and curse
7043 {7043} Primeקָלַלqalal{kaw-lal'}
A primitive root; to be (causatively make) light, literally ( swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively ( easy, trifling, vile, etc.).
z8762 <8762> Grammar
Stem - Piel (See H8840) Mood - Imperfect (See H8811) Count - 2447
not
x408 (0408) Complementאַל'al{al}
A negative particle (akin to H3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing.
the rich
6223 {6223} Primeעָשִׁיר`ashiyr{aw-sheer'}
From H6238; rich, whether literally or figuratively ( noble).
in thy bedchamber:
2315 {2315} Primeחֶדֶרcheder{kheh'-der}
From H2314; an apartment (usually literally).
4904 {4904} Primeמִשְׁכָּבmishkab{mish-kawb'}
From H7901; a bed (figuratively a bier); abstractly sleep; by euphemism carnal intercourse.
for
x3588 (3588) Complementכִּיkiy{kee}
A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed.
a bird
5775 {5775} Primeעוֹף`owph{ofe}
From H5774; a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collective.
of the air
8064 {8064} Primeשָׁמַיִםshamayim{shaw-mah'-yim}
The second form being dual of an unused singular; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve).
shall carry
y3212 [3212] Standardיָלַךyalak{yaw-lak'}
A primitive root (compare H1980); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively to carry (in various senses).
z8686 <8686> Grammar
Stem - Hiphil (See H8818) Mood - Imperfect (See H8811) Count - 4046
x1980 (1980) Complementהָלַךְhalak{haw-lak'}
Akin to H3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively).
x853 (0853) Complementאֵת'eth{ayth}
Apparently contracted from H0226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely).
the voice,
6963 {6963} Primeקוֹלqowl{kole}
From an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound.
and that which hath
1167 {1167} Primeבַּעַלba`al{bah'-al}
From H1166; a master; hence a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense.
wings
3671 {3671} Primeכָּנָףkanaph{kaw-nawf'}
From H3670; an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bed clothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle.
shall tell
5046 {5046} Primeנָגַדnagad{naw-gad'}
A primitive root; properly to front, that is, stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically to expose, predict, explain, praise.
z8686 <8686> Grammar
Stem - Hiphil (See H8818) Mood - Imperfect (See H8811) Count - 4046
the matter.
1697 {1697} Primeדָּבָרdabar{daw-baw'}
From H1696; a word; by implication a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially a cause. |
Ecclesiastes 10:20
_ _ 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, etc. — proverbial (compare Habakkuk 2:11; Luke 19:40); in a way as marvelous 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 (see on Job 28:21; hence the proverb). |
Ecclesiastes 10:20
Thy thought — In the most secret manner. The rich — Princes or governors. A bird — The king will hear of it by unknown and unsuspected hands, as if a bird had heard and carried the report of it. |
Ecclesiastes 10:20
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a (l) bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
(l) You cannot work evil so secretly that it will not be known. |
- Curse:
Exodus 22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
Isaiah 8:21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
Acts 23:5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
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- thought:
- or, conscience,
Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: ... For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Luke 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
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- in thy bedchamber:
Luke 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luke 12:2-3 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. ... Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
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