Ecclesiastes 10:20

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.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Exod 22:28 : 28 “You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
  • Acts 23:5 : 5 Paul replied,“I did not realize, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written,‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’”
  • 2 Kgs 6:12 : 12 One of his advisers said,“No, my master, O king. The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom.”
  • Eccl 7:21-22 : 21 Also, do not pay attention to everything that people say; otherwise, you might even hear your servant cursing you. 22 For you know in your own heart that you also have cursed others many times.
  • Isa 8:21 : 21 They will pass through the land destitute and starving. Their hunger will make them angry, and they will curse their king and their God as they look upward.
  • Luke 10:40 : 40 But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said,“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.”
  • Luke 12:2-3 : 2 Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 3 So then whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.
  • Luke 19:40 : 40 He answered,“I tell you, if they keep silent, the very stones will 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%

    21Also, do not pay attention to everything that people say; otherwise, you might even hear your servant cursing you.

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

  • Exod 22:28
    72%

    28“You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

  • Prov 30:10-11
    2 verses
    72%

    10Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you are found guilty.

    11There is a generation who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

  • Prov 26:2
    72%

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

  • Prov 23:4-5
    2 verses
    71%

    4Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.

    5When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!

  • Prov 16:10
    70%

    10The divine verdict is in the words of the king, his pronouncements must not act treacherously against justice.

  • Prov 27:14
    69%

    14If someone blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him.

  • Prov 25:6-8
    3 verses
    69%

    6Do not honor yourself before the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;

    7for it is better for him to say to you,“Come up here,” than to put you lower before a prince, whom your eyes have seen.

    8Do not go out hastily to litigation, or what will you do afterward when your neighbor puts you to shame?

  • Eccl 10:16-17
    2 verses
    68%

    16The Problem with Foolish Rulers Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning!

    17Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time– with self-control and not in drunkenness.

  • Eccl 8:2
    68%

    2Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.

  • Eccl 8:4
    68%

    4Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him,“What are you doing?”

  • Prov 20:2
    68%

    2The king’s terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him sins against himself.

  • Prov 24:18-19
    2 verses
    67%

    18lest the LORD see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.

    19Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people,

  • Eccl 10:19
    67%

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

  • Prov 20:19-20
    2 verses
    67%

    19The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth.

    20The one who curses his father and his mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness.

  • Prov 25:10
    67%

    10lest the one who hears it put you to shame and your infamy will never go away.

  • Prov 24:21
    67%

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

  • Eccl 5:8
    67%

    8Government Corruption If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!

  • Prov 10:22
    67%

    22The blessing from the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow to it.

  • Jer 5:27
    67%

    27Like a cage filled with the birds that have been caught, their houses are filled with the gains of their fraud and deceit. That is how they have gotten so rich and powerful.

  • Prov 19:10
    67%

    10Luxury is not appropriate for a fool; how much less for a servant to rule over princes!

  • Prov 16:14
    67%

    14A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person appeases it.

  • Job 34:18-19
    2 verses
    67%

    18who says to a king,‘Worthless man’ and to nobles,‘Wicked men,’

    19who shows no partiality to princes, and does not take note of the rich more than the poor, because all of them are the work of his hands?

  • Eccl 10:4-6
    3 verses
    67%

    4If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.

    5I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

    6Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.

  • Prov 17:7
    66%

    7Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!

  • Job 36:18-19
    2 verses
    66%

    18Be careful that no one entices you with riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.

    19Would your wealth sustain you, so that you would not be in distress, even all your mighty efforts?

  • Prov 10:6
    66%

    6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the speech of the wicked conceals violence.

  • Prov 10:19
    66%

    19When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.

  • Prov 27:2
    66%

    2Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.

  • Eccl 5:2
    66%

    2(5:1) Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.

  • Job 31:30
    66%

    30I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse–

  • Prov 13:8
    66%

    8The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth, thus the poor person has never heard a threat.

  • Isa 10:14
    66%

    14My hand discovered the wealth of the nations, as if it were in a nest, as one gathers up abandoned eggs, I gathered up the whole earth. There was no wing flapping, or open mouth chirping.”

  • Ps 62:10
    66%

    10Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!

  • Prov 28:20
    66%

    20A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.

  • Jer 17:11
    66%

    11The person who gathers wealth by unjust means is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.”

  • Job 29:10
    65%

    10the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

  • Jas 3:10
    65%

    10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.