King James Version

Isaiah 42:3

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

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Hebrew

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קָנֶ֤הqanehreedקָנֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “reed”, the ordinary formH7070a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod (especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of the arm), beam (of a steelyard)balance, bone, branch, calamus, cane, reed, [idiom] spearman, stalk.רָצוּץ֙ratsutsbreakרָצַץverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “break”, a verb used as a describing wordH7533to crack in pieces, literally or figurativelybreak, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together.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…יִשְׁבּ֔וֹרyishborbreakשָׁבַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “break”, an unfinished actionH7665to burst (literally or figuratively)break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for H7663 (שָׂבַר)).וּפִשְׁתָּ֥הufishtahand flaxפִּשְׁתָּהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and flax”, the ordinary formH6594flax; by implication, a wickflax, tow.כֵהָ֖הkhehahsomewhat darkכֵּהֶהadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “somewhat dark”, the ordinary formH3544feeble, obscuresomewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, heaviness, smoking.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…יְכַבֶּ֑נָּהyekhabenahquenchכָּבָהverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “quench”, an unfinished actionH3518to expire or (causatively) to extinguish (fire, light, anger)go (put) out, quench.לֶאֱמֶ֖תleemetto assuredאֶמֶתpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to assured”, the ordinary formH571stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthinessassured(-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.יוֹצִ֥יאyotsibring forthיָצָאverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bring forth”, an unfinished actionH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…מִשְׁפָּֽטmishpatlawמִשְׁפָּטnoun, 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,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the dimly burning wick shall he not quench; he shall make the right to go forth according to the truth.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth.

Young’s Literal Translation

A bruised reed he breaketh not, And dim flax he quencheth not, To truth he bringeth forth judgment.

World English Bible

He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.

Darby Translation

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment according to truth.

Douay-Rheims

The bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the dimly burning wick shall he not quench; he shall make the right to go forth according to the truth.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench; but he shall bring forth judgment to truth.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Κάλαμον τεθλασμένον οὐ συντρίψει, καὶ λίνον καπνιζόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἀλλὰ εἰς ἀλήθειαν ἐξοίσει κρίσιν.

Quoted in

Matthew 12:20 Matthew 12:20 · King James VersionA bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.Matthew 12:20 · King James VersionOpen the Source
That it might be fulfilled
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

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The King James Version (1769) is in the public domain in the United States.