King James Version

Isaiah 29:16

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

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Hebrew

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הַ֨פְכְּכֶ֔םhafkekheman upset, iהֹפֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “an upset, i”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2017an upset, i.e. (abstract) perversityturning of things upside down.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…כְּחֹ֥מֶרkechomeras clayחֹמֶרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “as clay”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2563properly, a bubbling up, i.e. of water, a wave; of earth, mire or clay (cement); also a heap; hence, a chomer or dry measureclay, heap, homer, mire, motion.הַיֹּצֵ֖רhayotserthe formיָצַרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the form”, the ordinary formH3335to mould into a form; especially as apotter; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a resolution)[idiom] earthen, fashion, form, frame, make(-r), potter, purpose.יֵֽחָשֵׁ֑בyechashevregardחָשַׁבverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “regard”, an unfinished actionH2803properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute(make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made), regard, think.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…יֹאמַ֨רyomarsayאָמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, an unfinished 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…מַעֲשֶׂ֤הmaasehbusinessמַעֲשֶׂהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “business”, the ordinary formH4639an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) propertyact, art, [phrase] bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, [idiom] well, (handy-, needle-, net-) work(ing, -manship), wrought.לְעֹשֵׂ֨הוּ֙leosehvto doעָשָׂהpreposition, verb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to do”, a verb used as a describing wordH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…לֹ֣אlono , -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…עָשָׂ֔נִיasanidoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…וְיֵ֛צֶרveyetserand frameיֵצֶרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and frame”, the ordinary formH3336a form; figuratively, conception (i.e. purpose)frame, thing framed, imagination, mind, work.אָמַ֥רamarsayאָמַרverb, 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…לְיוֹצְר֖וֹleyotservoto formיָצַרpreposition, verb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to form”, a verb used as a describing wordH3335to mould into a form; especially as apotter; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a resolution)[idiom] earthen, fashion, form, frame, make(-r), potter, purpose.לֹ֥אlono , -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…הֵבִֽיןhevinunderstandבִּיןverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “understand”, a completed actionH995to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understandattend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct, have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be prudent, regard, (can) skill(-full), teach, think, (cause, make to, get, give, have) und…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

O your perversity! Shall the potter be esteemed as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it: 'He made me not'; or the thing framed say of him that framed it: 'He hath no understanding?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Ye turn things upside down! Shall the potter be esteemed as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath no understanding?

Young’s Literal Translation

Your perversion! as clay is the potter esteemed? That the work saith of its maker, 'He hath not made me?' And the framed thing said of its framer, 'He did not understand?'

World English Bible

You turn things upside down! Should the potter be thought to be like clay, that the thing made should say about him who made it, “He didn’t make me;” or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

Darby Translation

[Oh] your perverseness! — Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay, so that the work should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath no understanding?

Douay-Rheims

This thought of yours is perverse: as if the clay should think against the potter, and the work should say to the maker thereof: Thou madest me not: or the thing framed should say to him that fashioned it: Thou understandest not.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Shall ye not be counted as clay of the potter? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Thou didst not form me? or the work to the maker, Thou hast not made me wisely?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Οὐχ ὡς πηλὸς τοῦ κεραμέως λογισθήσεσθε; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι αὐτό, οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι, οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας;