Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 10:20

²⁰Do 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.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
curse	תְּקַלֵּ֔ל	tə·qal·lêl	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7043 be slight, swift, trifling
the king	מֶ֚לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king
even	גַּ֣ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
in your thoughts	בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗	bə·mad·dā·‘ă·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H4093 knowledge, thought
curse	תְּקַלֵּ֖ל	tə·qal·lêl	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7043 be slight, swift, trifling
the rich	עָשִׁ֑יר	‘ā·šîr	Adjective - masculine singular	H6223 rich
even in your bedroom	וּבְחַדְרֵי֙	ū·ḇə·ḥaḏ·rê	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H2315 chamber, room
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a bird	ע֤וֹף	‘ō·wp̄	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5775 flying creatures, fowl, insects
of the air	הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙	haš·šā·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft
may carry	יוֹלִ֣יךְ	yō·w·lîḵ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
your words	הַקּ֔וֹל	haq·qō·wl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
and a winged creature	וּבַ֥עַל	ū·ḇa·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1167 owner, lord
may report	יַגֵּ֥יד	yag·gêḏ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
your speech	דָּבָֽר׃	dā·ḇār	Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Acts 23:5 · Luke 12:2–3 · 2 Kings 6:12 · Exodus 22:28 · Ecclesiastes 7:21–22 · Luke 19:40 · Isaiah 8:21 · Luke 10:40

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.