King James Version

Ecclesiastes 5:8

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Ecclesiastes 5:7.

אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…עֹ֣שֶׁקosheqcruellyעֹשֶׁקnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “cruelly”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6233injury, fraud, (subjectively) distress, (concretely) unjust gaincruelly, extortion, oppression, thing (deceitfully gotten).רָ֠שׁrashlackרוּשׁverb, qal, participle, absolute — “lack”, a verb used as a describing wordH7326to be destitutelack, needy, (make self) poor (man).וְגֵ֨זֶלvegezeland violenceגֵּזֶלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and violence”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1499plunder, i.e. violenceviolence, violent perverting.. gozal. See H1469 (גּוֹזָל).מִשְׁפָּ֤טmishpatlawמִשְׁפָּטnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “law”, the ordinary formH4941properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style[phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right,…וָצֶ֨דֶק֙vatsedeqand rightצֶדֶקconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and right”, the ordinary formH6664the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity[idiom] even, ([idiom] that which is altogether) just(-ice), (un-)right(-eous) (cause, -ly, -ness).תִּרְאֶ֣הtirehseeרָאָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “see”, an unfinished actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…בַמְּדִינָ֔הvamdinahin provinceמְדִינָהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in province”, the ordinary formH4082properly, a judgeship, i.e. jurisdiction; by implication, a district (as ruled by a judge); generally, a region([idiom] every) province.אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.תִּתְמַ֖הּtitmahbe amazedתָּמַהּverb, qal, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “be amazed”, a wish or indirect commandH8539to be in consternationbe amazed, be astonished, marvel(-lously), wonder.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הַחֵ֑פֶץhachefetsthe desireחֵפֶץdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the desire”, the ordinary formH2656pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…גָבֹ֜הַּgavohahaughtyגָּבֹהַּadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “haughty”, the ordinary formH1364elevated (or elated), powerful, arroganthaughty, height, high(-er), lofty, proud, [idiom] exceeding proudly.מֵעַ֤לmealfrom aboveעַלpreposition, preposition — “from above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…גָּבֹ֨הַ֙gavohahaughtyגָּבֹהַּadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “haughty”, the ordinary formH1364elevated (or elated), powerful, arroganthaughty, height, high(-er), lofty, proud, [idiom] exceeding proudly.שֹׁמֵ֔רshomerbewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, participle, absolute — “beward”, a verb used as a describing wordH8104properly, 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).וּגְבֹהִ֖יםugevohimand haughtyגָּבֹהַּconjunction, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “and haughty”, the ordinary formH1364elevated (or elated), powerful, arroganthaughty, height, high(-er), lofty, proud, [idiom] exceeding proudly.עֲלֵיהֶֽםaleyhemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(5-7) If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

Young’s Literal Translation

If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness thou seest in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones [are] over them.

World English Bible

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.

Darby Translation

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for a higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they.

Douay-Rheims

Moreover there is the king that reigneth over all the land subject to him.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

If thou shouldest see the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of judgment and of justice in the land, wonder not at the matter: for there is a high one to watch over him that is high, and high ones over them.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐὰν συκοφαντίαν πένητος καὶ ἁρπαγὴν κρίματος καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἴδῃς ἐν χώρᾳ, μὴ θαυμάσῃς ἐπὶ τῷ πράγματι· ὅτι ὑψηλὸς ἐπάνω ὑψηλοῦ φυλάξαι, καὶ ὑψηλοὶ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς.