King James Version

Isaiah 38:18

For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

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Hebrew

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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…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…שְׁא֛וֹלsheolgraveשְׁאוֹלnoun, proper name — “grave”H7585Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmatesgrave, hell, pit.תּוֹדֶ֖ךָּtodekacastיָדָהverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “cast”, an unfinished actionH3034physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands)cast (out), (make) confess(-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank(-ful, -s, -sgiving).מָ֣וֶתmavetdeadמָוֶתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “dead”, the ordinary formH4194death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin(be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d).יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּyehallekaboastהָלַלverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “boast”, an unfinished actionH1984to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.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…יְשַׂבְּר֥וּyesabrvhopeשָׂבַרverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “hope”, an unfinished actionH7663to scrutinize; by implication (of watching) to expect (with hope and patience)hope, tarry, view, wait.יֽוֹרְדֵיyoredebring downיָרַדverb, qal, participle, construct — “bring down”, a verb used as a describing wordH3381to 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…ב֖וֹרvorcisternבּוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cistern”, the ordinary formH953a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison)cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אֲמִתֶּֽךָamitekhaassuredאֶמֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “assured”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH571stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthinessassured(-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

For the nether-world cannot praise Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

For Sheol cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

Young’s Literal Translation

For Sheol doth not confess Thee, Death doth not praise Thee, Those going down to the pit hope not for Thy truth.

World English Bible

For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.

Darby Translation

For not Sheol shall praise thee, nor death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth.

Douay-Rheims

For hell shall not confess to thee, neither shall death praise thee: nor shall they that go down into the pit, look for thy truth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

For the nether-world cannot praise Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For they that are in the grave shall not praise thee, neither shall the dead bless thee, neither shall they that are in Hades hope for thy mercy.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἐν ᾅδου αἰνέσουσί σε, οὐδὲ οἱ ἀποθανόντες εὐλογήσουσί σε, οὐδὲ ἐλπιοῦσιν οἱ ἐν ᾄδου τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην σου.