Ecclesiastes 10:20

Ecclesiastes 10:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Ecclesiastes 10:20

18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks. 19A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything. 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.

Ecclesiastes 10:20 word by word

גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ מֶ֚לֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י ע֤וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יוֹלִ֣יךְ אֶת־הַקּ֔וֹל וּבַ֥עַל כְּנָפַ֖יִם יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Curseקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• not the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• no not in thy thoughtמַדָּעmaddâ‛ madda‛ · knowledgeH4093
• not the richעָשִׁיר‛âshîyr · richH6223
• in thy bedchamberמִשְׁכָּבmishkâb · bedH4904
• in thy bedchamberחֶ֫דֶרcheder · chamberH2315
• for a birdעוֹף‛ôph · birdH5775
• of the airשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• shall carryיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• and that which hathבַּעַלba‛al · master: menH1167
• wingsכָּנָףkânâph · wingH3671
• shall tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• the matterדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 10:20

• Exodus 22:28“You must not blaspheme God or curse a leader among your people.
• Isaiah 8:21They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God.
• Acts 23:5“I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest,” replied Paul. “For it is written, You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”
• Ecclesiastes 7:21Don’t pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you,
• Luke 19:40He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”
• Luke 10:40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
• Luke 12:2There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Curse not the king - Do not permit thyself even to think evil of the king; lest thy tongue at some time give vent to thy thoughts, and so thou be chargeable with treason. For a bird of the air shall carry the voice - Does he refer here to such fowls as the carrier pigeon, which were often used to carry letters under their wings to a great distance, and bring back answers? The Targum turns it curiously: "Do not speak evil of the king in thy conscience, nor…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 Foolish rulers, by their weakness, self-indulgence and sloth, bring decay upon the state: nobleness and temperance insure prosperity: yet the subject must not rebel in word or thought against his king. Ecclesiastes 10:16 A child - Rather, young. The word is applied to Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 13:7 at the time of his accession to the throne, when he was 41 years old. Eat in the morning - A sign of intemperance (compare Isaiah 5:11). Ecclesiastes…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-20Verses 16-20 The happiness of a land depends on the character of its rulers. The people cannot be happy when their princes are childish, and lovers of pleasure. Slothfulness is of ill consequence both to private and public affairs. Money, of itself, will neither feed nor clothe, though it answers the occasions of this present life, as what is to be had, may generally be had for money. But the soul, as it is not redeemed, so it is not maintained with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20It is often a mystery how others know what we have said. To manage our reputation, we should manage our thoughts.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. 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 (Psa 139:1-24), whose consciousness of every evil thought we should ever realize. bed-chamber--the most secret place (2Ki 6:12). bird of the air, &c.--proverbial (compare Ha 2:11; Lu 19:40); in a way as marvellous and rapid, as if birds or some winged messenger carried…Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 10:20

• Citizens
• King
• Reverence
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Direct
• Idleness
• Prince
• Birds
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings