King James Version

1 Samuel 25:21

Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

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Hebrew

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וְדָוִ֣דvedavidand Davidדָּוִדconjunction, noun, proper name — “and David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.אָמַ֗רamarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אַךְ֩akhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).לַשֶּׁ֨קֶרlasheqerto without a causeשֶׁקֶרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to without a cause”, the ordinary formH8267an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial)without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, [phrase] lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.שָׁמַ֜רְתִּיshamartibewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “beward”, a completed actionH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).אֶֽתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).אֲשֶׁ֤רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…לָזֶה֙lazehto the one...the otherזֶהpreposition, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “to the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…בַּמִּדְבָּ֔רbamidbarin desertמִדְבָּרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in desert”, the ordinary formH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.וְלֹאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…נִפְקַ֥דnifqadchargeפָּקַדverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “charge”, a completed actionH6485to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.appoint, [idiom] at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, [idiom] by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overs…מִכָּלmikalfrom allכֹּלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “from all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).אֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…ל֖וֹlvotoל֖וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toמְא֑וּמָהmeumahfaultמְאוּמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “fault”, the ordinary formH3972properly, a speck or point, i.e. (by implication) something; with negative, nothingfault, [phrase] no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any (no-)thing.וַיָּֽשֶׁבvayashevand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and again”, the next action in the storyH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…לִ֥יlitoלִ֥יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toרָעָ֖הraahbadרַעnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…תַּ֥חַתtachatwithתַּחַתpreposition — “with”H8478the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with.טוֹבָֽהtovahgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Now David had said: 'Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he hath returned me evil for good.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good.

Young’s Literal Translation

And David said, 'Only, in vain I have kept all that this [one] hath in the wilderness, and nothing hath been looked after of all that he hath, and he turneth back to me evil for good;

World English Bible

Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good.

Darby Translation

Now David had said, Surely, in vain have I kept all that this [man] had in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that was his; and he has requited me evil for good.

Douay-Rheims

And David said: Truly in vain have I kept all that belonged to this man in the wilderness, and nothing was lost of all that pertained unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Now David had said: 'Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he hath returned me evil for good.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David said, Perhaps I have kept all his possessions in the wilderness that he should wrong me, and we did not order the taking any thing of all his goods; yet he has rewarded me evil for good.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ Δαυὶδ εἶπεν, ἴσως εἰς ἄδικον πεφύλακα πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καὶ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμεθα λαβεῖν ἐκ πάντων τῶν αὐτοῦ οὐθὲν, καὶ ἀνταπέδωκέ μοι πονηρὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν.