King James Version

Genesis 42:38

And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to 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…לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “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…יֵרֵ֥דyeredbring downיָרַדverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bring down”, an unfinished actionH3381to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)[idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take…בְּנִ֖יbenisonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […עִמָּכֶ֑םimakhemwithעִםpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “with”H5973adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…אָחִ֨יוachivbrother ; kindredאָחnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “brother ; kindred”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.מֵ֜תmetdieמוּתverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “die”, a completed actionH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…וְה֧וּאvehuand as for herהוּאconjunction, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.לְבַדּ֣וֹlevadvoto apartבַּדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to apart”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH905properly, separation; by implication, a part of the body, branch of atree, bar forcarrying; figuratively, chief of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an adverb, apart, only, besidesalone, apart, bar, besides, branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff, strength.נִשְׁאָ֗רnisharleaveשָׁאַרverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “leave”, a verb used as a describing wordH7604properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundantleave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest.וּקְרָאָ֤הוּuqeraahvand befallקָרָאconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and befall”, a completed actionH7122to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile mannerbefall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet.אָסוֹן֙asonmischiefאָסוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “mischief”, the ordinary formH611hurtmischief.בַּדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙baderekhin alongדֶּרֶךְpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in along”, the ordinary formH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…תֵּֽלְכוּtelekhvcarryיָלַךְverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “carry”, an unfinished actionH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…בָ֔הּvahinבָ֔הּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “in”inוְהוֹרַדְתֶּ֧םvehoradtemand bring downיָרַדconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential perfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and bring down”, a completed action in a sequenceH3381to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)[idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take…אֶתetobject 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).שֵׂיבָתִ֛יseyvatiold ageשֵׂיבָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “old age”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7872old age(be) gray (grey hoar,-y) hairs (head,-ed), old age.בְּיָג֖וֹןbeyagonin griefיָגוֹןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in grief”, the ordinary formH3015afflictiongrief, sorrow.שְׁאֽוֹלָהsheolahgraveשְׁאוֹלnoun, proper name, directional ending — “grave”H7585Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmatesgrave, hell, pit.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he said: 'My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left; if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left: if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.

Young’s Literal Translation

and he saith, 'My son doth not go down with you, for his brother [is] dead, and he by himself is left; when mischief hath met him in the way in which ye go, then ye have brought down my grey hairs in sorrow to sheol.'

World English Bible

He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Darby Translation

But he said, My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left; and if mischief should befall him by the way in which ye go, then would ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.

Douay-Rheims

But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But he said, My son shall not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he only has been left; and suppose it shall come to pass that he is afflicted by the way by which ye go, then ye shall bring down my old age with sorrow to Hades.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, οὐ καταβήσεται ὁ υἱός μου μεθʼ ὑμῶν, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπέθανε, καὶ αὐτὸς μόνος καταλέλειπται· καὶ συμβήσεται αὐτὸν μαλακισθῆναι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, ᾗ ἐὰν πορεύησθε, καὶ κατάξετέ μου τὸ γῆρας μετὰ λύπης εἰς ᾅδοῦ.