King James Version

Isaiah 41:12

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

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Hebrew

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תְּבַקְשֵׁם֙tevaqshembeseechבָּקַשׁverb, piel, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “beseech”, an unfinished actionH1245to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive afterask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and 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…תִמְצָאֵ֔םtimtsaemcomeמָצָאverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “come”, an unfinished actionH4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with)…אַנְשֵׁ֖יanshea certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…מַצֻּתֶ֑ךָmatsutekhathat contendedמַצּוּתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “that contended”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4695a quarrelthat contended.יִהְי֥וּyihyvbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כְאַ֛יִןkheayinas elseאַיִןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as else”, the ordinary formH369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).וּכְאֶ֖פֶסukheefesand as ankleאֶפֶסconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and as ankle”, the ordinary formH657cessation, i.e. an end (especially of the earth); often used adverb, no further; also the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or footankle, but (only), end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless (where), no, none (beside), not (any, -withstanding), thing of nought, save(-ing), there, uttermost part, want, without (cause).אַנְשֵׁ֥יanshea certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…מִלְחַמְתֶּֽךָmilchamtekhabattleמִלְחָמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “battle”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee; they that warred against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contend with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

Young’s Literal Translation

Thou seekest them, and findest them not, The men who debate with thee, They are as nothing, yea, as nothing, The men who war with thee.

World English Bible

You will seek them, and won’t find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

Darby Translation

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them — them that contend with thee; they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

Douay-Rheims

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find the men that resist thee: they shall be as nothing: and as a thing consumed the men that war against thee.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee; they that warred against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Thou shalt seek them, and thou shalt not find the men who shall insolently rage against thee: for they shall be as if they were not, and they that war against thee shall not be.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ζητήσεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οἳ παροινήσουσιν εἰς σέ· ἔσονται γὰρ ὡς οὐκ ὄντες, καὶ οὐκ ἔσονται οἱ ἀντιπολεμοῦντές σε·