Proverbs 26:2

bird Rather, sparrow. The mention of a particular bird, the swallow, in the next clause makes it probable that a particular bird is intended here also.

come Rather, light.

The whole proverb gains by the rendering of R.V.:

As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying,

So the curse that is causeless lighteth not.

The reading, "shall come to him" (who invokes it), instead of "shall notcome," which involves the change of only a single letter in the Hebrew, mars the force and beauty of the comparison. It may perhaps have been suggested by the idea that the subject of this verse he who invokes the curse would be "the fool," as in the group of Proverbs, vv1-12 here.

Proverbs 26:3. The proverbs of this group have all of them, as has Proverbs 26:1 of the chapter, the "fool" for their subject.