Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. New Living Translation Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said. English Standard Version Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. Berean Standard Bible Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech. King James Bible 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. New King James Version Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter. New American Standard Bible Furthermore, in your bedroom do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known. NASB 1995 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. NASB 1977 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. Legacy Standard Bible 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 sky will bring the sound and the winged creature will tell the matter. Amplified Bible Moreover, do not curse the king, even in your bedroom, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry the sound and a winged creature will make the matter known. Christian Standard Bible Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter. Holman Christian Standard Bible Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter. American Standard Version 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. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And also do not revile the King in your mind, and in your bedroom do not insult a rich man, because a bird of the sky will transmit your voice, and the Lord of the bird will show your statement Brenton Septuagint Translation 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. Contemporary English Version Don't let yourself think about cursing the king; don't curse the rich, not even in secret. A little bird might hear and tell everything. Douay-Rheims Bible 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. English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Don't curse the king even in your thoughts, and don't curse rich people even in your bedroom. A bird may carry your words, or some winged creature may repeat what you say. Good News Translation Don't criticize the king, even silently, and don't criticize the rich, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird might carry the message and tell them what you said. International Standard Version Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it. JPS Tanakh 1917 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. Literal Standard Version Even in your mind do not revile a king, | And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, | And a possessor of wings declares the word. Majority Standard Bible Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech. New American Bible Even in your thoughts do not curse the king, nor in the privacy of your bedroom curse the rich; For the birds of the air may carry your voice, a winged creature may tell what you say. NET Bible Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich while in your bedroom; for a bird might report what you are thinking, or some winged creature might repeat your words. New Revised Standard Version Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts, or curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. New Heart English Bible Do not curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and do not curse the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter. Webster's Bible Translation 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. World English Bible Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter. Young's Literal Translation 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. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Wisdom and Folly…19A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything. 20Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech. Cross References Luke 12:3 What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops. Acts 23:5 "Brothers," Paul replied, "I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.'" Exodus 8:3 The Nile will teem with frogs, and they will come into your palace and up to your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls. Exodus 22:28 You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. 2 Kings 6:12 But one of his servants replied, "No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom." Treasury of Scripture Curse not the king, no not in your thought; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter. 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. thought Ecclesiastes 7:21,22 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: … 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. 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… Jump to Previous Air Bedchamber Bed-Chamber Bedroom Bird Carry Creature Curse Furthermore Heavens Inner Matter Mind News Report Rich Rooms Secretly Sky Sleeping Sound Thought Thoughts Voice Wing Winged Wings WordsJump to Next Air Bedchamber Bed-Chamber Bedroom Bird Carry Creature Curse Furthermore Heavens Inner Matter Mind News Report Rich Rooms Secretly Sky Sleeping Sound Thought Thoughts Voice Wing Winged Wings WordsEcclesiastes 10 1. observations of wisdom and folly7. death in life 9. and the day of judgment in the days of youth, are to be thought on (20) Thought.--A word of later Hebrew, found only in Daniel and Chronicles. That which hath wings.--Literally, master of wings; and so also Proverbs 1:17. (Comp. "master of the tongue," Ecclesiastes 10:11.) Verse 20. - Curse not the king, no not in thy thought. Under the above-mentioned circumstances, a man might be tempted to abuse and curse these ill-conditioned rulers. Koheleth warns against this error; it is dangerous to give way to it (comp. Exodus 22:28). In Ecclesiastes 8:2 the motive for submission to the king is placed on religious grounds; in the present passage the ground is prudence, regard for personal safety, which might be compromised by plain speaking, especially when one has to do with such depraved and unscrupulous persons. We may compare David's generous conduct to his cruel persecutor Saul, whom he spared because he was the Lord's anointed (1 Samuel 24:6, l0; 26:9, etc.; 2 Samuel 1:14). Madda, "thought," "consciousness," is rare, and is supposed to belong to late Hebrew (see 2 Chronicles 1:10, 11, 12; Daniel 1:4, 17). The Septuagint translates it συνείδησις: Vulgate, cogitatio. To encourage such thoughts in the mind is to run the risk of openly expressing them at some unguarded moment; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Curse not the rich in thy bedchamber. In ability to injure, the rich stand in the same category as the king. You are not safe ἐν τανιείοις κοιτώνων σου, "in your very bedchamber," where, if anywhere, you would fancy yourself free from espionage. But "walls have ears," says the proverb (comp. Habakkuk 2:11; Luke 19:40); and the King of Syria is warned, "Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the King of Israel the words thou speakest in thy bedchamber" (2 Kings 6:12). "That which ye have spoken in the ear in closets (ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις) shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" (Luke 12:3). For a bird of the air shall carry the voice. A proverbial saying, common to all languages, and not to be referred especially to the story of the cranes of Ibycus (see Erasmus,' Adag.,' s.v. "Ultio malefacti") or to the employment of carrier pigeons. We say of secret information, "a little bird told me." Plumptre quotes Aristophanes, 'Aves,' 575 -Οὐδείς οϊδεν τὸν θησαυρὸν τὸν ἐμὸν πλὴν εἴ τις ἄρ ὄρνις "No one knows of my treasure, save, it may be, a bird." On which the Scholiast notes, "There is a proverb extant, ' No one observes me but the passing bird'" (comp. Erasmus, ' Adag.,' s.v. "Occulta"). In Koheleth's day informers evidently plied their trade industriously, and here meet, not only with notice, but ironically with reprobation. On the general sentiment of the verse, we may quote Juvenal, 'Sat.,' 9:102, "O Corydon, Corydon," thus versified in Ginsburg's commentary - "And dost thou seriously believe, fond swain, Hebrew Do notאַל־ (’al-) Adverb Strong's 408: Not curse תְּקַלֵּ֔ל (tə·qal·lêl) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 7043: To be slight, swift or trifling the king מֶ֚לֶךְ (me·leḵ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king even גַּ֣ם (gam) Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and in your thoughts, בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ (bə·mad·dā·‘ă·ḵā) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 4093: Intelligence, consciousness [or] אַל־ (’al-) Adverb Strong's 408: Not curse תְּקַלֵּ֖ל (tə·qal·lêl) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 7043: To be slight, swift or trifling the rich עָשִׁ֑יר (‘ā·šîr) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 6223: Rich even in your bedroom, וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ (ū·ḇə·ḥaḏ·rê) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 2315: A chamber, room for כִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction a bird ע֤וֹף (‘ō·wp̄) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5775: Flying creatures of the sky הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ (haš·šā·ma·yim) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky may carry יוֹלִ֣יךְ (yō·w·lîḵ) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk your words, הַקּ֔וֹל (haq·qō·wl) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6963: A voice, sound and a winged creature וּבַ֥עַל (ū·ḇa·‘al) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1167: A master, a husband, owner may report יַגֵּ֥יד (yag·gêḏ) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous your speech. דָּבָֽר׃ (dā·ḇār) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause Links Ecclesiastes 10:20 NIVEcclesiastes 10:20 NLT Ecclesiastes 10:20 ESV Ecclesiastes 10:20 NASB Ecclesiastes 10:20 KJV Ecclesiastes 10:20 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 10:20 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 10:20 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 10:20 French Bible Ecclesiastes 10:20 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 10:20 Don't curse the king no not (Ecclesiast. 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