Ecclesiastes 10:20
in Ecclesiastes 10Do 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 words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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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This verse in Ecclesiastes 10
Commentary
10 notes on this verseIf then those things, which are spoken in secret against you that are kings, are not hidden, is it not incredible that I should have spoken against you in the presence of a king and of so many bystanders?
This site's exposition
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth
on Ecclesiastes 10:16-20
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast, government judged by its appetites, as Henry puts it. Verse 18 applies sloth to government, and money is the answer for everything reports the courtiers' creed. Do not curse the king even in your thoughts.
This site's exposition
Do not curse the king
Jerome took the bird as a figure of speech, as saying the walls have ears. Clarke wondered whether the carrier pigeon lay behind it. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown add that what is a figure for earthly kings is fact for God, who knows every thought, as Psalm 139 says.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Even in your thoughts do not curse a king, and in your bed-chamber do not curse the rich, for a bird of the skies may carry the sound, and some winged creature may betray the matter. "This simple example teaches the listeners that we should not be overpowered by anger and fury, and curse and blame kings and leaders, since it seems to happen against one's wish, that what we curse is made known. And we run into danger by the inability to hold our tongue. He also says, "a bird of the skies may carry the sound, and some winged creature may betray the matter", this is to be understood as a exaggeration, just as we are accustomed to saying, 'walls have ears to hear those things, which we think are said in private'. But it is better to hear a teaching in this way, so that we know that we have a commandment to follow, not only that nothing should be spoken rashly against Christ, but also in the secret places of our heart, however we are troubled by our many problems, nothing should be blasphemed, nothing thought which is impious. And since we owe love, that we have for Christ, the next part says, "love the Lord your God," and even " your nearest" and "yourself". [Matth. 22, 37.40.] He even orders this, so that afterwards we do not easily take the king away from the holy, and so that we do not slander by the wickedness of our tongue those who are rich in knowledge, wisdom and virtues, for they are the angels who fly around the earth and are administrators of the spirit. They say in Zechariah, "we have traversed the earth and look all the world is inhabited and quiet" [Zach. 1, 11.]. And just like birds, our words and thoughts are carried to heaven. And whatever we think in secret, is not hidden from God's knowledge.
Generally one is advised not to say bad things about others. A curse is nothing else but a wish for something bad.…The word cautions against slander. Do not even have the intention, he says, of slandering someone—let alone actually slandering someone. Look at how great …
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCommentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Here he restrains subjects from secret detraction, should it happen that such a one is placed in authority: and first he sets forth the exhortation; second, he gives the reason. He exhorts therefore that one should neither speak evil by diminishing reputation, nor call down …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Wouldst thou then not be hurt by the powers that be, nor be afraid of them? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same; but, if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, Rom. xiii.
Curse not the king; no, not in thy thought,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Curse not the king - Do not permit thyself even to think evil of the king; lest thy tongue at some time give vent to thy thoughts, and so thou be chargeable with treason. For a bird of the air shall carry the voice - Does he refer here to such fowls as the carrier pigeon, which were often used to carry letters under their wings to a great distance, and bring back answers?
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
thought--literally, "consciousness." rich--the great. The language, as applied to earthly princes knowing the "thought," is figurative. But it literally holds good of the King of kings (Ps 139:1-24), whose consciousness of every evil thought we should ever realize. bed-chamber--the most secret place (2Ki 6:12). bird of the air, &c.--proverbial (compare Hab 2:11;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| גַּ֣ם | gam | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ | bemadaakha | in mind your | H4093 → | |
| מֶ֚לֶךְ | melekh | a king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תְּקַלֵּ֔ל | tekalel | you curse | H7043 → | 82 times |
| וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ | uvechadrei | and in [the] chambers of | H2315 → | |
| מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ | mishkavekha | lying down your | H4904 → | |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תְּקַלֵּ֖ל | tekalel | you curse | H7043 → | 82 times |
| עָשִׁ֑יר | ʾashir | a rich [person] | H6223 → | 23 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| ע֤וֹף | of | <the> bird of | H5775 → | |
| הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| יוֹלִ֣יךְ | yolikh | it will carry | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַקּ֔וֹל | hakol | the sound | H6963 → | 506 times |
| וּבַ֥עַל | uvaal | and an owner | H1167 → | 84 times |
| כְּנָפַ֖יִם | kenafayim | of wings | H3671 → | |
| יַגֵּ֥יד | yageid | it will tell | H5046 → | 370 times |
| דָּבָֽר׃ | davar | [the] matter | H1697 → | 1440 times |
גַּ֣םalso
gamH1571 →769 times
בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗in mind your
bemadaakhaH4093 →
מֶ֚לֶךְa king
melekhH4428 →2525 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תְּקַלֵּ֔לyou curse
tekalelH7043 →82 times
וּבְחַדְרֵי֙and in [the] chambers of
uvechadreiH2315 →
מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔lying down your
mishkavekhaH4904 →
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תְּקַלֵּ֖לyou curse
tekalelH7043 →82 times
עָשִׁ֑ירa rich [person]
ʾashirH6223 →23 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
ע֤וֹף<the> bird of
ofH5775 →
הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙the heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
יוֹלִ֣יךְit will carry
yolikhH1980 →1546 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַקּ֔וֹלthe sound
hakolH6963 →506 times
וּבַ֥עַלand an owner
uvaalH1167 →84 times
כְּנָפַ֖יִםof wings
kenafayimH3671 →
יַגֵּ֥ידit will tell
yageidH5046 →370 times
דָּבָֽר׃[the] matter
davarH1697 →1440 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 23:5“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
it leads to
- Exodus 22:28
You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
- Jude 1:8–9
Yet in the same way these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.
- 2 Peter 2:10
Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
- Exodus 22:28
Through
Exodus 22:28You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
it leads to
- Acts 23:5
“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
- Jude 1:8
Yet in the same way these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.
- Exodus 22:8–9
If the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges to determine whether he has taken his neighbor’s property.
- Acts 23:5
Through
2 Kings 6:12But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
it leads to
- Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.
- Daniel 2:28–30
But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your…
- Amos 3:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ecclesiastes
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Athanasius of Alexandria, DEFENSE BEFORE CONSTANTIUS 3; Bonaventure, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 313:13; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.