King James Version

Isaiah 55:9

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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Hebrew

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כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…גָבְה֥וּgavehvbe haughtyגָּבַהּverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be haughty”, a completed actionH1361to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughtyexalt, be haughty, be (make) high(-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward.שָׁמַ֖יִםshamayimheavenשָׁמַיִםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).מֵאָ֑רֶץmearetsfrom earthאֶרֶץpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “from earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.כֵּ֣ןkenas... asכֵּןparticle, demonstrative — “as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…גָּבְה֤וּgavehvbe haughtyגָּבַהּverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be haughty”, a completed actionH1361to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughtyexalt, be haughty, be (make) high(-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward.דְרָכַי֙derakhayalongדֶּרֶךְnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “along”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֔םmidarkheykhemfrom alongדֶּרֶךְpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “from along”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).וּמַחְשְׁבֹתַ֖יumachshevotayand cunningמַחֲשָׁבָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and cunning”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4284a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice)cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.מִמַּחְשְׁבֹתֵיכֶֽםmimachshevoteykhemfrom cunningמַחֲשָׁבָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “from cunning”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4284a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice)cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Young’s Literal Translation

For high have the heavens been above the earth, So high have been My ways above your ways, And My thoughts above your thoughts.

World English Bible

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Darby Translation

For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Douay-Rheims

For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But as the heaven is distant from the earth, so is my way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from my mind.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀλλʼ ὡς ἀπέχει ὁ οὐρανὸς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, οὕτως ἀπέχει ἡ ὁδός μου ἀπὸ τῶν ὁδῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ διανοήματα ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τῆς διανοίας μου.