Ecclesiastes 10:20

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report what you say.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard 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.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    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.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    Wysh the kynge no euell in yi thought, and speake no hurte of ye ryche in thy preuy chambre: for a byrde of the ayre shal betraye thy voyce, and wt hir fethers shal she bewraye thy wordes.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, & that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    Wishe the king no euil in thy thought, and speake no hurt of the riche in thy priuie chaumber: for a byrde of the ayre shall betray thy voyce, and with her fethers shall she bewray thy wordes.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    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.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    Don't curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; And don't 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.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    Say 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.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    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.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    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.

Referenced Verses

  • Exod 22:28 : 28 Do not hold back offerings from your harvest or your wine presses. You must give me the firstborn of your sons.
  • Acts 23:5 : 5 Paul replied, 'I did not realize, brothers, that he is the high priest; for it is written: “You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”'
  • 2 Kgs 6:12 : 12 One of his servants said, "No, my lord the king; Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom."
  • Eccl 7:21-22 : 21 Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you. 22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
  • Isa 8:21 : 21 Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged, and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.
  • Luke 10:40 : 40 But Martha was distracted by much serving. So she came to Him and asked, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her, therefore, to help me.'
  • Luke 12:2-3 : 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. 3 Whatever you spoke in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you whispered in private rooms will be proclaimed from the rooftops.
  • Luke 19:40 : 40 He answered, 'I tell you, if they were silent, the stones would cry out.'

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 7:21-22
    2 verses
    72%

    21Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you.

    22For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

  • Exod 22:28
    72%

    28Do not hold back offerings from your harvest or your wine presses. You must give me the firstborn of your sons.

  • Prov 30:10-11
    2 verses
    72%

    10Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will be found guilty.

    11There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.

  • Prov 26:2
    72%

    2Like a bird fluttering or a swallow flying, so a curse without cause will not come to rest.

  • Prov 23:4-5
    2 verses
    71%

    4Do not wear yourself out trying to become rich; stop relying on your own understanding.

    5Will you fix your eyes on wealth only for it to vanish? For it makes itself wings and flies away like an eagle toward the heavens.

  • Prov 16:10
    70%

    10A decision is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not betray justice.

  • Prov 27:14
    69%

    14If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.

  • Prov 25:6-8
    3 verses
    69%

    6Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great.

    7For it is better to be told, 'Come up here,' than to be humiliated in the presence of a nobleman whom your eyes have seen.

    8Do not go hastily to court, lest you do something in the end that leaves you humiliated when your neighbor puts you to shame.

  • Eccl 10:16-17
    2 verses
    68%

    16Woe to you, O land, whose king is a youth and whose princes feast in the morning.

    17Blessed are you, O land, whose king is the son of nobles, and whose princes eat at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.

  • Eccl 8:2
    68%

    2I advise you to obey the king's command and stay true to your oath made before God.

  • Eccl 8:4
    68%

    4Since the king’s word has authority, who can question him, saying, 'What are you doing?'

  • Prov 20:2
    68%

    2The roar of a king is like the growl of a young lion; whoever provokes him to anger risks his life.

  • Prov 24:18-19
    2 verses
    67%

    18Otherwise, the LORD will see and disapprove, and He may turn His anger away from them.

    19Do not fret because of evildoers, and do not envy the wicked.

  • Eccl 10:19
    67%

    19Bread is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.

  • Prov 20:19-20
    2 verses
    67%

    19A gossip betrays a confidence, so avoid anyone who talks too much.

    20Whoever curses their father or mother, their lamp will be extinguished in utter darkness.

  • Prov 25:10
    67%

    10Lest the one who hears it brings shame upon you, and your slander is not retracted.

  • Prov 24:21
    67%

    21Fear the LORD, my son, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels.

  • Eccl 5:8
    67%

    8The benefit of the land is for everyone; even a king depends on the field being cultivated.

  • Prov 10:22
    67%

    22The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and He adds no sorrow with it.

  • Jer 5:27
    67%

    27Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Because of this, they have become great and rich.

  • Prov 19:10
    67%

    10Luxury is not fitting for a fool, much less for a servant to rule over princes.

  • Prov 16:14
    67%

    14A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but the wise will appease it.

  • Job 34:18-19
    2 verses
    67%

    18Is it right to say to a king, 'You are worthless,' or to nobles, 'You are wicked'?

    19God shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of His hands.

  • Eccl 10:4-6
    3 verses
    67%

    4If the anger of a ruler rises against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness can lay great offenses to rest.

    5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error that proceeds from a ruler:

    6Foolishness is set in high places, while the rich sit in lowly positions.

  • Prov 17:7
    66%

    7Eloquent speech is not fitting for a fool; how much less deceitful speech for a ruler!

  • Job 36:18-19
    2 verses
    66%

    18Beware that wrath does not entice you to scoffing, and let a great ransom not turn you aside.

    19Will your cry for help set things in order in distress, or will your exertions of strength suffice?

  • Prov 10:6
    66%

    6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

  • Prov 10:19
    66%

    19When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but the one who restrains his lips is wise.

  • Prov 27:2
    66%

    2Let another person praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

  • Eccl 5:2
    66%

    2Dreams come from too much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by many words.

  • Job 31:30
    66%

    30I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against their life—

  • Prov 13:8
    66%

    8A person's wealth may ransom their life, but the poor hear no threat.

  • Isa 10:14
    66%

    14My hand seized the wealth of nations like one finds a nest. As one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; no wing fluttered, no beak opened to chirp.

  • Ps 62:10
    66%

    10Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.

  • Prov 28:20
    66%

    20A faithful man will abound in blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.

  • Jer 17:11
    66%

    11Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay, so is one who gains wealth by unjust means. In the middle of his life, it will desert him, and in the end, he will prove to be a fool.

  • Job 29:10
    65%

    10The voices of nobles quieted, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

  • Jas 3:10
    65%

    10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not be this way.