Proverbs 26:2

2 For as a bird flying over to high things, and as a sparrow going into uncertain; so cursing brought forth without reasonable cause shall come above into some man. (Like a bird flying over to high places, and like a sparrow going into uncertainty; so cursing brought forth without a reasonable cause, shall simply go over someone, and not touch them.)

Proverbs 26:2 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 26:2

As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying
As a bird, particularly the sparrow, as the word ^F8 is sometimes rendered, leaves its nest and wanders from it; and flies here and there, and settles nowhere; and as the swallow flies to the place from whence it came; or the wild pigeon, as some ^F9 think is meant, which flies away very swiftly: the swallow has its name in Hebrew from liberty, because it flies about boldly and freely, and makes its nest in houses, to which it goes and comes without fear; so the curse causeless shall not come;
the mouths of fools or wicked men are full of cursing and bitterness, and especially such who are advanced above others, and are set in high places; who think they have a right to swear at and curse those below them, and by this means to support their authority and power; but what signify their curses which are without a cause? they are vain and fruitless, like Shimei's cursing David; they fly away, as the above birds are said to do, and fly over the heads of those on whom they are designed to light; yea, return and fall upon the heads of those that curse, as the swallow goes to the place from whence it came; it being a bird of passage, ( Jeremiah 8:7 ) ; in the winter it flies away and betakes itself to some islands on rocks called from thence "chelidonian" ^F11. According to the "Keri", or marginal reading, for here is a double reading, it may be rendered, "so the curse causeless shall come to him" ^F12; that gives it without any reason. The Septuagint takes in both,

``so a vain curse shall not come upon any;''

what are all the anathemas of the church of Rome? who can curse whom God has not cursed? yea, such shall be cursed themselves; see ( Psalms 109:17 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (rwpuk) "sicat passeris", Mercerus, Gejerus; "ut passer", Piscator; Schultens.
F9 Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 1. c. 8.
F11 Vid. Strabo. Geograph. l. 14. p. 458. Dionys. Perieg. v. 506, 507.
F12 (wl) "in quempiam", V. L.

Proverbs 26:2 In-Context

1 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest; so glory is unseemly to a fool. (Like snow in summer, and rain at harvest; so glory is unbecoming to a fool.)

2 For as a bird flying over to high things, and as a sparrow going into uncertain; so cursing brought forth without reasonable cause shall come above into some man. (Like a bird flying over to high places, and like a sparrow going into uncertainty; so cursing brought forth without a reasonable cause, shall simply go over someone, and not touch them.)

3 Beating be to an horse, and a bridle to an ass; and a rod to the back of unprudent men.

4 Answer thou not to a fool after his folly, lest thou be made like him.

5 Answer thou (to) a fool after his folly, lest he seem to himself to be wise (lest he thinketh himself to be wise).