King James Version

Isaiah 51:4

Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

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Hebrew

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הַקְשִׁ֤יבוּhaqshivvattendקָשַׁבverb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “attend”, a commandH7181to prick up the ears, i.e. hearkenattend, (cause to) hear(-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard.אֵלַי֙elayamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “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).עַמִּ֔יamipeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “people”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.וּלְאוּמִּ֖יuleumiand nationלְאֹםconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and nation”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3816a communitynation, people.אֵלַ֣יelayamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “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).הַאֲזִ֑ינוּhaazinvgive earאָזַןverb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “give ear”, a commandH238to broaden out the ear (with the hand), i.e. (by implication) to listengive (perceive by the) ear, hear(-ken). See H239 (אָזַן).כִּ֤יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…תוֹרָה֙torahlawתּוֹרָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “law”, the ordinary formH8451a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuchlaw.מֵאִתִּ֣יmeitifrom amongאֵתpreposition, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “from among”H854properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.תֵצֵ֔אtetsebring forthיָצָאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, 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…וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֔יumishpatiand lawמִשְׁפָּטconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4941properly, 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,…לְא֥וֹרleorto brightאוֹרpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “to bright”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH216illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun.עַמִּ֖יםamimpeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.אַרְגִּֽיעַargiabreakרָגַעverb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “break”, an unfinished actionH7280properly, to toss violently and suddenly (the sea with waves, the skin with boils); figuratively (in a favorable manner) to settle, i.e. quiet; specifically, to wink (from the motion of the eye-lids)break, divide, find ease, be a moment, (cause, give, make to) rest, make suddenly.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Attend unto Me, O My people, and give ear unto Me, O My nation; for instruction shall go forth from Me, and My right on a sudden for a light of the peoples.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Attend unto me, O my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall go forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples.

Young’s Literal Translation

Attend unto Me, O My people, And, O My nation, unto Me give ear. For a law from Me goeth out, And My judgment to the light, Peoples I do cause to rest.

World English Bible

“Listen to me, my people; and hear me, my nation, for a law will go out from me, and I will establish my justice for a light to the peoples.

Darby Translation

Listen unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will establish my judgment for a light of the peoples.

Douay-Rheims

Hearken unto me, O my people, and give ear to me, O my tribes: for a law shall go forth from me, and my judgment shall rest to be a light of the nations.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Attend unto Me, O My people, and give ear unto Me, O My nation; for instruction shall go forth from Me, and My right on a sudden for a light of the peoples.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Hear me, hear me, my people; and ye kings, hearken to me: for a law shall proceed from me, and my judgment shall be for a light of the nations.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀκούσατέ μου, ἀκούσατέ μου λαός μου, καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς πρὸς μὲ ἐνωτίσασθε, ὅτι νόμος παρʼ ἐμοῦ ἐξελεύσεται, καὶ ἡ κρίσις μου εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν.