King James Version

Ecclesiastes 12:11

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

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Hebrew

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דִּבְרֵ֤יdivrecauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…חֲכָמִים֙chakhamimwise , manחָכָםadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “wise , man”, the ordinary formH2450wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)cunning (man), subtil, (un-), wise((hearted), man).כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹתkadarevonotas goadדׇּרְבוֹןpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “as goad”, the ordinary formH1861a goadgoad.וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹתukhemasmerotand as nailמַשְׂמְרָהconjunction, preposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “and as nail”, the ordinary formH4930a pegnail.נְטוּעִ֖יםnetuimplantנָטַעverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “plant”, a verb used as a describing wordH5193properly, to strike in, i.e. fix; specifically, to plant (literally or figuratively)fastened, plant(-er).בַּעֲלֵ֣יbaalehusbandבַּעַלnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “husband”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1167a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense)[phrase] archer, [phrase] babbler, [phrase] bird, captain, chief man, [phrase] confederate, [phrase] have to do, [phrase] dreamer, those to whom it is due, [phrase] furious, those that are given to it, great, [phrase] hairy, he that hath i…אֲסֻפּ֑וֹתasupotassemblyאֲסֻפָּהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “assembly”, the ordinary formH627a collection of (learned) men (only in the plural)assembly.נִתְּנ֖וּnitnvgiveנָתַןverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “give”, a completed actionH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…מֵרֹעֶ֥הmeroehfrom companionרָעָהpreposition, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “from companion”, a verb used as a describing wordH7462to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.אֶחָֽדechadfirstאֶחָדadjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “first”, the ordinary formH259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) firsta, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

Young’s Literal Translation

Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.

World English Bible

The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

Darby Translation

The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.

Douay-Rheims

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails deeply fastened in, which by the counsel of masters are given from one shepherd.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Λόγοι σοφῶν ὡς τὰ βούκεντρα, καὶ ὡς ἧλοι πεφυτευμένοι, οἳ παρὰ τῶν συνθεμάτων ἐδόθησαν ἐκ ποιμένος ἑνός.