God’s Word Translation
Proverbs 26:2
2Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so a hastily spoken curse does not come to rest.
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 summertime and rain at harvest time, so honor is not right for a fool. Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so a hastily spoken curse does not come to rest. 3A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey, and a rod is for the backs of fools. 4Do not answer a fool with his own stupidity, or you will be like him.
Read all of Proverbs 26Proverbs 26:2 word by word
כַּצִּפּ֣וֹר לָ֭נוּד כַּדְּר֣וֹר לָע֑וּף כֵּ֥ן קִֽלְלַ֥ת חִ֝נָּ֗ם ל֣וֹ תָבֹֽא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 26:2
- Numbers 23:8How can I curse those whom God hasn’t cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord hasn’t condemned?
- Deuteronomy 23:4They cannot join because they didn’t greet you with food and water on your trip from Egypt. They even hired Balaam, son of Beor, from Pethor in Aram Naharaim, to curse you.
- 1 Samuel 14:28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father forced the troops to take a solemn oath: ‘Cursed is anyone who eats food today.’ ” Now, the army was exhausted.
- 1 Samuel 17:43The Philistine asked David, “Am I a dog that you come to ⌞attack⌟ me with sticks?” So the Philistine called on his gods to curse David.
- 2 Samuel 16:12Maybe the Lord will see my misery and turn his curse into a blessing for me today.”
- Nehemiah 13:2(After all, they didn’t welcome the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse the Israelites. But our God turned the curse into a blessing.)
- Psalms 109:28They may curse, but you will bless. Let those who attack me be ashamed, but let me 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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