King James Version

Isaiah 55:2

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

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Hebrew

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לָ֤מָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.תִשְׁקְלוּtishqelvreceiveשָׁקַלverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “receive”, an unfinished actionH8254to suspend or poise (especially in trade)pay, receive(-r), spend, [idiom] throughly, weigh.כֶ֨סֶף֙khesefmoneyכֶּסֶףnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “money”, the ordinary formH3701silver (from its pale color); by implication, moneymoney, price, silver(-ling).בְּֽלוֹאbeloin no , -r,לֹאpreposition, particle, negative — “in 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…לֶ֔חֶםlechembreadלֶחֶםnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “bread”, the ordinary formH3899food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)(shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.וִיגִיעֲכֶ֖םvigiakhemand workיְגִיעַconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and work”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3018toil; hence, a work, produce, property (as the result of labor)labour, work.בְּל֣וֹאbeloin no , -r,לֹאpreposition, particle, negative — “in 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…לְשָׂבְעָ֑הlesaveahto enoughשׇׂבְעָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to enough”, the ordinary formH7654satiety(to have) enough, [idiom] till...be full, (un-) satiable, satisfy, [idiom] sufficiently.שִׁמְע֨וּshimvhearשָׁמַעverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “hear”, a commandH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…שָׁמ֤וֹעַshamoahearשָׁמַעverb, qal, infinitive absolute — “hear”, the verb used for emphasisH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…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).וְאִכְלוּveikhlvand eatאָכַלconjunction, verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and eat”, a commandH398to eat (literally or figuratively)[idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.ט֔וֹבtovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…וְתִתְעַנַּ֥גvetitanagand delicateעָנַגconjunction, verb, hithpael, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and delicate”, an unfinished actionH6026to be soft or pliable, i.e. (figuratively) effeminate or luxuriousdelicate(-ness), (have) delight (self), sport self.בַּדֶּ֖שֶׁןbadeshenin ashesדֶּשֶׁןpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in ashes”, the ordinary formH1880the fat; abstractly fatness, i.e. (figuratively) abundance; specifically the (fatty) ashes of sacrificesashes, fatness.נַפְשְׁכֶֽםnafshekhemcreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “creature”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your gain for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Young’s Literal Translation

Why do ye weigh money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which is not for satiety? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat good, And your soul doth delight itself in fatness.

World English Bible

Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.

Darby Translation

Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Douay-Rheims

Why do you spend money for that which is not breed, and your labour for that which doth not satisfy you? Hearken diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Wherefore do ye value at the price of money, and give your labour for that which will not satisfy? hearken to me, and ye shall eat that which is good, and your soul shall feast itself on good things.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἱνατί τιμᾶσθε ἀργυρίου, καὶ τὸν μόχθον ὑμῶν οὐκ εἰς πλησμονήν; ἀκούσατέ μου, καὶ φάγεσθε ἀγαθὰ, καὶ ἐντρυφήσει ἐν ἀγαθοῖς ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν.