Ecclesiastes 10 · Verse 20

Ecclesiastes 10:20

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.
Ecclesiastes 10:20, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:20 in other translations

BSBDo 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.
WEBDon’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.
ASVRevile 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.
YLTEven 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.
DARBYCurse 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.
BBESay not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
WebsterCurse 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.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
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 (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 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).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Curse 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 in the secret of thy heart, nor in the most hidden place in thy house, curse not a wise man; for Raziel calls daily from heaven upon Mount Horeb, and his voice goes through the whole world; and Elijah, the great priest, goes, flying through the air like a winged eagle, and publishes the words which are spoken in secret by all the inhabitants of the earth." Civil government is so peculiarly of God, that he will have it supported for the benefit of mankind; and those who attempt to disturb it are generally marked by his strong disapprobation. And though there have been multitudes of treasons hatched in the deepest secrecy; yet, through the providence of God, they have been discovered in the most singular manner. This shows God's care for government.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:16-20

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…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 10:16-20 →

Ecclesiastes 10:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

גַּ֣םgamalsoH1571
בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗be.ma.da.'a.Khain mind yourH4093
מֶ֚לֶךְMe.lekha kingH4428
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תְּקַלֵּ֔לte.ka.Lelyou curseH7043
וּבְחַדְרֵי֙u.ve.chad.Reiand in [the] chambers ofH2315
מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔mish.Ka.ve.khalying down yourH4904
אַל\־'al-may notH408
תְּקַלֵּ֖לte.ka.Lelyou curseH7043
עָשִׁ֑יר'a.Shira rich [person]H6223
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
ע֤וֹףof<the> bird ofH5775
הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ha.sha.Ma.yimthe heavensH8064
יוֹלִ֣יךְyo.Likhit will carryH1980
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַקּ֔וֹלha.Kolthe soundH6963
וּבַ֥עַלu.Va.'aland an ownerH1167
כְּנָפַ֖יִםke.na.fa.yimof wingsH3671
יַגֵּ֥ידya.Geidit will tellH5046
דָּבָֽר\׃da.Var[the] matterH1697

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:20

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 2 Kings 6:12

    And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

  • Exodus 22:28

    Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Curse.
Ex 22:28; Isa 8:21; Ac 23:5
thought. or, conscience.
7:21,22; Lu 19:40
in thy bedchamber.
Lu 10:40; 12:2,3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 10:19

    A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:20

    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.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ni aun en tu pensamiento digas mal del rey, ni en los secretos de tu cámara digas mal del rico; porque las aves del cielo llevarán la voz, y las que tienen alas harán saber la palabra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ne maudis pas le roi, même dans ta pensée, et ne maudis pas le riche dans la chambre où tu couches, car l’oiseau des cieux en emporterait la voix, et ce qui a des ailes en divulguerait les paroles.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Auch in deinen Gedanken fluche dem Könige nicht, und in deinen Schlafgemächern fluche nicht dem Reichen; denn das Gevögel des Himmels möchte die Stimme entführen, und das Geflügelte das Wort anzeigen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annuntiabit sententiam.