Proverbs 26:2 kjv

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

Proverbs 26:2 nkjv

Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.

Proverbs 26:2 niv

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

Proverbs 26:2 esv

Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.

Proverbs 26:2 nlt

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

Proverbs 26 verses

Proverbs 26 2 Meaning

Proverbs 26:2 teaches that a curse spoken without cause or justification, aimed at an innocent person, will be ineffective and fail to alight upon its intended target. It will dissipate or be aimless, like a bird fluttering about that does not find a place to land. This verse assures the righteous that divine justice protects them from arbitrary ill will and malevolent words, asserting God's sovereignty over the power of curses.

Proverbs 26 2 Context

Proverbs is a book of wisdom literature, compiling practical guidelines for living a life aligned with God's will. Chapter 26, specifically, is part of "the proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah" (Prov 25:1). This chapter predominantly addresses the folly of the foolish, sluggards, busybodies, and those who speak deceptively or spread discord. Verse 2 specifically acts as a reassuring counterpoint amidst discussions of problematic characters, offering comfort to the innocent against verbal malice. Historically and culturally, the ancient Near East was replete with beliefs in curses and incantations. This proverb subtly polemicizes against such fatalistic beliefs, asserting that divine justice, not arbitrary magic, determines the efficacy of spoken words of malediction. It implies that true power resides with God, who ensures that injustice, even verbal, does not ultimately prevail.

Proverbs 26 2 Word analysis

• As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying (כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף - ka-tsippor la-nud ka-dror la-uf):
  • כַּצִּפּוֹר (ka-tsippor): "Like a bird." 'Tsippor' is a generic term for small, chirping birds, often symbolizing fleetingness or unpredictability (Ps 11:1, 84:3). Here, it conveys an erratic, undirected movement.
  • לָנוּד (la-nud): "By wandering" or "fluttering" or "flitting." Denotes aimless, unsettled movement, failing to alight or find a stable place. The implication is of restless movement without coming to rest or finding its mark.
  • כַּדְּרוֹר (ka-dror): "Like a swallow." 'Dror' specifically refers to a swallow, known for its swift, darting, and acrobatic flight. Its movement is agile but not necessarily directed to a specific resting place for extended periods.
  • לָעוּף (la-uf): "By flying" or "darting." Emphasizes swift, rapid flight without landing.
  • Significance: This vivid double simile effectively paints a picture of something that moves swiftly and without a fixed destination, thus failing to settle. It prepares the hearer for the equally ineffectual nature of the undeserved curse. The analogy emphasizes lack of purpose and failure to impact.
• so the curse causeless (כֵּן קִלְלַת חִנָּם - ken qilelat chinnam):
  • כֵּן (ken): "So." This is the linking particle, establishing the parallel between the aimless birds and the ineffectual curse.
  • קִלְלַת (qilelat): "A curse of." From 'qelalah', meaning an imprecation, a pronouncement of evil, often accompanied by the hope that divine power will enforce it (Gen 27:12). It implies a powerful verbal pronouncement of doom or misfortune.
  • חִנָּם (chinnam): "Causeless" or "without cause" or "undeserved." This is the pivotal word. It means "for nothing," "gratuitously," "in vain," "without just grounds," or "innocently." It signifies that the recipient has done nothing to warrant such a curse (1 Sam 19:5). This absence of justification on the part of the cursed is critical to the proverb's truth.
  • Significance: The essence of the proverb lies in the "causeless" nature of the curse. It's not a general statement about curses, but specifically about those levied unjustly. Divine justice ensures that curses lacking a legitimate basis (i.e., a sin to which God might respond in judgment) hold no sway.
• shall not come (לֹא תָבוֹא - lo tavo):
  • לֹא (lo): "Not." A strong negative particle.
  • תָבוֹא (tavo): "It shall come" or "alight" or "settle" or "arrive." From 'bo', meaning to come, enter, go in. In this context, it refers to the curse successfully landing or taking effect upon the cursed person.
  • Significance: This declares the absolute futility of a causeless curse. It will not find its target or manifest its intended harm. God’s sovereign control overrides human malice when no just cause exists.

Words-group analysis

• "As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying": This phrase utilizes parallelism and a double simile to reinforce the image of chaotic, unmoored motion. The common "swallow" imagery resonates in ancient cultures as a sign of unpredictability or swift passage. The futility of aimless motion foreshadows the futility of an unjust curse. It communicates speed and non-landing.
• "so the curse causeless shall not come": This second part applies the imagery directly. The power of words is real, but they are subject to divine oversight and justice. An unjust curse lacks the necessary spiritual weight or divine permission to reach its target and cause harm. It returns to sender, dissipates, or simply has no effect. This is a theological statement on the limits of human malevolence against divine righteousness.

Proverbs 26 2 Bonus section

• Divine Sovereignty: This verse profoundly underscores God's ultimate sovereignty over human actions and pronouncements, including words of blessing or curse. It reveals that the effectiveness of any curse is not dependent merely on its utterance, but on God's will and the righteousness (or unrighteousness) of the target. God Himself judges the legitimacy of a curse.
• Protection for the Righteous: For those living righteously or, in the New Testament sense, in Christ, this proverb offers comfort and a sense of divine security. It serves as a spiritual shield against accusations, slander, and attempts to invoke harm, asserting that malicious words cannot bypass God's protective hand when the target is innocent in the eyes of God.
• Implications for Christian Conduct: While assuring protection for the undeserving, the proverb also implicitly calls for reflection on one's own words. It teaches that not only do "causeless" curses not land, but also that justly deserved consequences do come. Therefore, Christians are exhorted to live righteously to ensure they are not "causes" for a legitimate curse and to avoid pronouncing curses themselves (Rom 12:14).
• Reversal of Curses: This truth ties into instances where God turned intended curses into blessings (e.g., Balaam and Balak, Num 22-24). The causeless curse is not only rendered ineffective but can be paradoxically repurposed by God to glorify Himself and bless His people.

Proverbs 26 2 Commentary

Proverbs 26:2 delivers profound reassurance regarding the sovereignty of God's justice over human malevolence. It portrays the inefficacy of an undeserved curse through the vivid analogy of an aimlessly flitting bird. Just as a bird can wander endlessly without landing, a curse that lacks legitimate justification—that is, pronounced against an innocent person—will similarly fail to find its mark or achieve its malicious purpose. This proverb does not deny the existence of curses or their potential power when divinely sanctioned or justly deserved. Instead, its core message centers on the "causeless" nature. It emphasizes that arbitrary malice, or a curse leveled without the recipient's genuine fault or God's righteous judgment, is utterly void. Believers can therefore rest in the assurance that they are divinely protected from the verbal attacks of the wicked, knowing that God's justice prevails and will not permit such evil pronouncements to prevail against the righteous. This gives comfort against verbal persecution and spiritual attacks.