Proverbs 26:2

Proverbs 26:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
• New International Version (NIV)Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.

Context of Proverbs 26:2

1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool. Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere. 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools. 4Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.

Proverbs 26:2 word by word

כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם ל֣וֹ תָבֹֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• As the birdצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• by wanderingנוּדnûd · to wanderH5110
• as the swallowדְּרוֹרderôr · swallowH1866
• by flyingעוּף‛ûph · to flyH5774
• so the curseקְלָלָהqelâlâh · curseH7045
• causelessחִנָּםchinnâm · for nothingH2600
• shall not comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935

Cross-references for Proverbs 26:2

• Numbers 23:8How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
• Deuteronomy 23:4This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you.
• 1 Samuel 14:28Then one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.”
• 1 Samuel 17:43He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods.
• 2 Samuel 16:12Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.”
• Nehemiah 13:2because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing.
• Psalms 109:28Though they curse, you will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice.

Commentaries on Proverbs 26:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2As the bird - צפור tsippor is taken often for the sparrow; but means generally any small bird. As the sparrow flies about the house, and the swallow emigrates to strange countries; so an undeserved malediction may flutter about the neighborhood for a season: but in a short time it will disappear as the bird of passage; and never take effect on the innocent person against whom it was pronounced.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2i. e., “Vague as the flight of the sparrow, aimless as the wheelings of the swallow, is the causeless curse. It will never reach its goal.” The marginal reading in the Hebrew, however, gives” to him” instead of “not” or “never;” i. e., “The causeless curse, though it may pass out of our ken, like a bird‘s track in the air, will come on the man who utters it.” Compare the English proverb, “Curses, like young chickens, always come home to roost.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2Verse 2 He that is cursed without cause, the curse shall do him no more harm than the bird that flies over his head.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Curses and blessings can truly impact people (see Genesis 27:1–41; 48:8–9, 15–20; Numbers 6:23–27), but a curse without cause does not work.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Though not obvious to us, the bird--literally, "sparrow"--and swallow--have an object in their motions, so penal evil falls on none without a reason.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 26:2

• Malice

In the dictionaries

• Causeless
• Conceit
• Kindle
• Render
• Seemly
• Sport
• Swallow
• Talebearer
• Curse
• Hezekiah (2)

Commentaries on Proverbs 26

• 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