Ecclesiastes 10:20
ContextNETBible | Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich 1 while in your bedroom; 2 for a bird 3 might report what you are thinking, 4 or some winged creature 5 might repeat your 6 words. 7 |
NIV © biblegateway Ecc 10:20 |
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. |
NASB © biblegateway Ecc 10:20 |
Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known. |
NLT © biblegateway Ecc 10:20 |
Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don’t make fun of a rich man, either. A little bird may tell them what you have said. |
MSG © biblegateway Ecc 10:20 |
Don't bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don't abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide. |
BBE © SABDAweb Ecc 10:20 |
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. |
NRSV © bibleoremus Ecc 10:20 |
Do 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 voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. |
NKJV © biblegateway Ecc 10:20 |
Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter. |
[+] More English
|
KJV | |
NASB © biblegateway Ecc 10:20 |
Furthermore <01571> , in your bedchamber <04093> do not curse <07043> a king <04428> , and in your sleeping <04904> rooms <02315> do not curse <07043> a rich <06223> man <06223> , for a bird <05775> of the heavens <08064> will carry <01980> the sound <06963> and the winged <03671> creature will make <05046> the matter <01697> known <05046> . |
LXXM | |
NET [draft] ITL | Do not <0408> curse <07043> a king <04428> even <01571> in your thoughts <04093> , and do not <0408> curse <07043> the rich <06223> while in your bedroom <04904> <02315> ; for <03588> a bird <08064> <05775> might report <06963> <01980> what you are thinking <06963> <01980> , or some winged creature <03671> might repeat <05046> your words <01697> . |
HEBREW |
NETBible | Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich 1 while in your bedroom; 2 for a bird 3 might report what you are thinking, 4 or some winged creature 5 might repeat your 6 words. 7 |
NET Notes |
1 tn Perhaps the referent is people who are in authority because of their wealth. 2 tn Heb “in chambers of your bedroom.” 3 tn Heb “a bird of the air.” 4 tn Heb “might carry the voice.” The article is used here with the force of a possessive pronoun. 5 tn The Hebrew phrase בַּעַל הַכְּנָפַיִם (ba’al hakkÿnafayim, “possessor of wings”) is an idiom for a winged creature, that is, a bird (e.g., Prov 1:17; see HALOT 143 s.v. בַּעַל A.6; BDB 127 s.v. בַּעַל 5.a). The term בַּעַל (“master; possessor”) is the construct governing the attributive genitive הַכְּנָפַיִם (“wings”); see IBHS 149-51 §9.5.3b. 6 tn The term “your” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness. 7 tn Heb “tell the matter.” |