King James Version

Isaiah 44:12

The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

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Hebrew

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חָרַ֤שׁcharashartificerחָרָשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “artificer”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2796a fabricator or any materialartificer, ([phrase]) carpenter, craftsman, engraver, maker, [phrase] mason, skilful, ([phrase]) smith, worker, workman, such as wrought.בַּרְזֶל֙barzelironבַּרְזֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “iron”, the ordinary formH1270iron (as cutting); by extension, an iron implement(ax) head, iron.מַֽעֲצָ֔דmaatsadtongsמַעֲצָדnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “tongs”, the ordinary formH4621an axeax, tongs.וּפָעַל֙ufaaland doפָּעַלconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and do”, a completed actionH6466to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practisecommit, (evil-) do(-er), make(-r), ordain, work(-er).בַּפֶּחָ֔םbapechamin coalsפֶּחָםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in coals”, the ordinary formH6352a coal, whether charred or livecoals.וּבַמַּקָּב֖וֹתuvamaqavotand in hammerמַקָּבָהconjunction, preposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “and in hammer”, the ordinary formH4717properly, a perforatrix, i.e. a hammer (as piercing)hammer.יִצְּרֵ֑הוּyitsrehvformיָצַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “form”, an unfinished actionH3335to mould into a form; especially as apotter; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a resolution)[idiom] earthen, fashion, form, frame, make(-r), potter, purpose.וַיִּפְעָלֵ֨הוּ֙vayifalehvand doפָּעַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and do”, the next action in the storyH6466to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practisecommit, (evil-) do(-er), make(-r), ordain, work(-er).בִּזְר֣וֹעַbizroain armזְרוֹעַpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in arm”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2220the arm (as stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively, forcearm, [phrase] help, mighty, power, shoulder, strength.כֹּח֔וֹkochvoforceכֹּחַnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “force”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3581vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizardability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.גַּםgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.רָעֵב֙raevhungerרָעֵבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “hunger”, a completed actionH7456to hunger(suffer to) famish, (be, have, suffer, suffer to) hunger(-ry).וְאֵ֣יןveeynand elseאַיִןconjunction, particle, negative — “and else”H369a 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).כֹּ֔חַkochaforceכֹּחַnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “force”, the ordinary formH3581vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizardability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.לֹאlono , -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…שָׁ֥תָהshatahbanquetשָׁתָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “banquet”, a completed actionH8354to imbibe (literally or figuratively)[idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of H8248 (שָׁקָה).)מַ֖יִםmayimwaterמַיִםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).וַיִּיעָֽףvayiafand faintיָעַףconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and faint”, the next action in the storyH3286to tire (as if from wearisome flight)faint, cause to fly, (be) weary (self).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.

Young’s Literal Translation

He hath wrought iron [with] an axe, And hath wrought with coals, And with hammers doth form it, And doth work it by his powerful arm, Yea, he is hungry, and there is no power, He doth not drink water, and he is wearied.

World English Bible

The blacksmith takes an ax, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.

Darby Translation

The iron-smith [hath] a chisel, and he worketh in the coals, and he fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; — but he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he hath not drunk water, and he is faint.

Douay-Rheims

The smith hath wrought with his file, with coals, and with hammers he hath formed it, and hath wrought with the strength of his arm: he shall hunger and faint, he shall drink no water, and shall be weary.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The smith maketh an axe, and worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with his strong arm; yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth; he drinketh no water, and is faint.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For the artificer sharpens the iron; he fashions the idol with an axe, and fixes it with an awl, and fashions it with the strength of his arm: and he will be hungry and weak, and will drink no water.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὅτι ὤξυνε τέκτων σίδηρον· σκεπάρνῳ εἰργάσατο αὐτὸ, καὶ ἐν τερέτρῳ ἔστησεν αὐτὸ, καὶ εἰργάσατο αὐτὸ ἐν τῷ βραχίονι τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ, καὶ πεινάσει, καὶ ἀσθενήσει, καὶ οὐ μὴ πίῃ ὕδωρ.