King James Version

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.

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Hebrew

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גַּ֣םgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗bemadaakhain knowledgeמַדָּעpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “in knowledge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4093intelligence or consciousnessknowledge, science, thought.מֶ֚לֶךְmelekhkingמֶלֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.תְּקַלֵּ֔לteqalelmake brightקָלַלverb, piel, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “make bright”, a wish or indirect commandH7043to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make…וּבְחַדְרֵי֙uvechadreand in inner) chamberחֶדֶרconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “and in inner) chamber”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2315an apartment (usually literal)((bed) inner) chamber, innermost(-ward) part, parlour, [phrase] south, [idiom] within.מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔mishkavekhabedמִשְׁכָּבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “bed”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4904a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep; by euphemism, carnal intercoursebed(-chamber), couch, lieth (lying) with.אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.תְּקַלֵּ֖לteqalelmake brightקָלַלverb, piel, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “make bright”, a wish or indirect commandH7043to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make…עָשִׁ֑ירashirrichעָשִׁירadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “rich”, the ordinary formH6223rich, whether literal or figurative (noble)rich (man).כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…ע֤וֹףofbirdעוֹףnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “bird”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5775a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectivelybird, that flieth, flying, fowl.הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙hashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).יוֹלִ֣יךְyolikhecarryיָלַךְverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “carry”, an unfinished actionH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַקּ֔וֹלhaqolthe soundקוֹלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the sound”, the ordinary formH6963a voice or sound[phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell.וּבַ֥עַלuvaaland husbandבַּעַלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and husband”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1167a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense)[phrase] archer, [phrase] babbler, [phrase] bird, captain, chief man, [phrase] confederate, [phrase] have to do, [phrase] dreamer, those to whom it is due, [phrase] furious, those that are given to it, great, [phrase] hairy, he that hath i…הכנפיםhkhnfymthe wingכָּנָףdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, dual, absolute — “the wing”, the ordinary formH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).כְּנָפַ֖יִםkenafayimwingכָּנָףnoun, common, feminine, dual, absolute — “wing”, the ordinary formH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).יַגֵּ֥ידyageydbewrayנָגַדverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bewray”, an unfinished actionH5046properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praisebewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.דָּבָֽרdavarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

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.

Young’s Literal Translation

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.

World English Bible

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.

Darby Translation

Curse 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.

Douay-Rheims

Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

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.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καί γε ἐν συνειδήσει σου βασιλέα μὴ καταράσῃ, καὶ ἐν ταμιείοις κοιτώνων σου μὴ καταράσῃ πλούσιον· ὅτι πετεινὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀποίσει τὴν φωνήν σου, καὶ ὁ ἔχων τὰς πτέρυγας ἀπαγγελεῖ λόγον σου.