King James Version

Proverbs 26:2

As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

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Hebrew

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כַּצִּפּ֣וֹרkatsiporas birdצִפּוֹרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “as bird”, the ordinary formH6833a little bird (as hopping)bird, fowl, sparrow.לָ֭נוּדlanudto fleeנוּדpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to flee”, the to-form of the verbH5110to nod, i.e. waver; figuratively, to wander, flee, disappear; also (from shaking the head in sympathy), to console, deplore, or (from tossing the head in scorn) tauntbemoan, flee, get, mourn, make to move, take pity, remove, shake, skip for joy, be sorry, vagabond, way, wandering.כַּדְּר֣וֹרkadroras swallowדְּרוֹרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “as swallow”, the ordinary formH1866the swift, a kind of swallowswallow.לָע֑וּףlaufto flyעוּףpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to fly”, the to-form of the verbH5774to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning)brandish, be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), [idiom] set, shine forth, weary.כֵּ֥ןkenas... asכֵּןparticle, demonstrative — “as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…קִֽלְלַ֥תqillatcurseקְלָלָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “curse”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7045vilification(ac-) curse(-d, -ing).חִ֝נָּ֗םchinamwithout a causeחִנָּםadverb — “without a cause”H2600gratis, i.e. devoid of cost, reason or advantagewithout a cause (cost, wages), causeless, to cost nothing, free(-ly), innocent, for nothing (nought, in vain.לאlno , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…ל֣וֹlvotoל֣וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toתָבֹֽאtavoto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

As the wandering sparrow, as the flying swallow, so the curse that is causeless shall come home.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not.

Young’s Literal Translation

As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause doth not come.

World English Bible

Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.

Darby Translation

As the sparrow for flitting about, as the swallow for flying, so a curse undeserved shall not come.

Douay-Rheims

As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

As the wandering sparrow, as the flying swallow, so the curse that is causeless shall come home.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὥσπερ ὄρνεα πέταται καὶ στρουθοί, οὕτως ἀρὰ ματαία οὐκ ἐπελεύσεται οὐδενί.