King James Version

Isaiah 44:25

That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

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Hebrew

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מֵפֵר֙meferbreakפָּרַרverb, hiphil, participle, absolute — “break”, a verb used as a describing wordH6565to break up (usually figuratively), i.e. to violate, frustrate[idiom] any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease, [idiom] clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to nought, [idiom] utterly, make void.אֹת֣וֹתototmarkאוֹתnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “mark”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH226a signal (literally or figuratively), as aflag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.mark, miracle, (en-) sign, token.בַּדִּ֔יםbadimliarבַּדnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “liar”, the ordinary formH907a brag or lie; also a liarliar, lie.וְקֹסְמִ֖יםveqosemimand divineקָסַםconjunction, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “and divine”, a verb used as a describing wordH7080properly, to distribute, i.e. determine by lot or magical scroll; by implication, to divinedivine(-r, -ation), prudent, soothsayer, use (divination).יְהוֹלֵ֑לyeholelboastהָלַלverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd 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.מֵשִׁ֧יבmeshivagainשׁוּבverb, hiphil, participle, absolute — “again”, a verb used as a describing wordH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…חֲכָמִ֛יםchakhamimwise , manחָכָםadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “wise , man”, the ordinary formH2450wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)cunning (man), subtil, (un-), wise((hearted), man).אָח֖וֹרachorafterאָחוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “after”, the ordinary formH268the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind, backward; also (as facing north) the Westafter(-ward), back (part, -side, -ward), hereafter, (be-) hind(-er part), time to come, without.וְדַעְתָּ֥םvedatamand cunningדַּעַתconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and cunning”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1847knowledgecunning, (ig-) norantly, know(-ledge), (un-) awares (wittingly).יְשַׂכֵּֽלyesakeldo foolסָכַלverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do fool”, an unfinished actionH5528to be sillydo (make, play the, turn into) fool(-ish, -ishly, -ishness).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

That frustrateth the tokens of the imposters, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

that frustrateth the signs of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Young’s Literal Translation

Making void the tokens of devisers, And diviners it maketh mad, Turning the wise backward, And their knowledge it maketh foolish.

World English Bible

who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;

Darby Translation

— he that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Douay-Rheims

That make void the tokens of diviners, and make the soothsayers mad. That turn the wise backward, and that, make their knowledge foolish.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

That frustrateth the tokens of the imposters, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Who else will frustrate the tokens of those that have divining spirits, and prophecies from the heart of man ? turning the wise back, and making their counsel foolishness;

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Τίς ἕτερος διασκεδάσει σημεῖα ἐγγαστριμύθων, καὶ μαντείας ἀπὸ καρδίας; ἀποστρέφων φρονίμους εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν μωραίνων,