King James Version

Isaiah 56:11

Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

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Hebrew

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וְהַכְּלָבִ֣יםvehaklavimand the dogכֶּלֶבconjunction, definite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “and the dog”, the ordinary formH3611a dog; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitutedog.עַזֵּיazestrongעַזadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, construct — “strong”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5794strong, vehement, harshfierce, [phrase] greedy, mighty, power, roughly, strong.נֶ֗פֶשׁnefeshcreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “creature”, the ordinary formH5315properly, 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,…לֹ֤אlono , -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…יָֽדְעוּ֙yadevknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…שָׂבְעָ֔הsaveahenoughשׇׂבְעָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “enough”, the ordinary formH7654satiety(to have) enough, [idiom] till...be full, (un-) satiable, satisfy, [idiom] sufficiently.וְהֵ֣מָּהvehemahand theyהֵםconjunction, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.רֹעִ֔יםroimcompanionרָעָהverb, qal, participle, absolute — “companion”, a verb used as a describing wordH7462to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.לֹ֥אlono , -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…יָדְע֖וּyadevknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…הָבִ֑יןhavinunderstandבִּיןverb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “understand”, the to-form of the verbH995to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understandattend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct, have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be prudent, regard, (can) skill(-full), teach, think, (cause, make to, get, give, have) und…כֻּלָּם֙kulamallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).לְדַרְכָּ֣םledarkamto alongדֶּרֶךְpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to 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).פָּנ֔וּpanvappearפָּנָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “appear”, a completed actionH6437to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.appear, at (even-) tide, behold, cast out, come on, [idiom] corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to), (re-) turn (aside, away, back, face, self), [idiom] right (early).אִ֥ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…לְבִצְע֖וֹlevitsvoto gainבֶּצַעpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to gain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1215plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust)covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit.מִקָּצֵֽהוּmiqatsehvfrom borderקָצֶהpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “from border”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7097an extremity[idiom] after, border, brim, brink, edge, end, (in-) finite, frontier, outmost coast, quarter, shore, (out-) side, [idiom] some, ut(-ter-) most (part).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Yea, the dogs are greedy, they know not when they have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand; they all turn to their own way, each one to his gain, one and all.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.

Young’s Literal Translation

And the dogs [are] strong of desire, They have not known sufficiency, And they [are] shepherds! They have not known understanding, All of them to their own way they did turn, Each to his dishonest gain from his quarter:

World English Bible

Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.

Darby Translation

and the dogs are greedy, they know not to be satisfied, and these are shepherds that know not how to discern: they all turn to their own way, every one for his gain, even to the last of them:

Douay-Rheims

And meet impudent dogs, they never had enough: the shepherds themselves knew no understanding: all have turned aside into their own way, every one after his own gain, from the first even to the last.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Yea, the dogs are greedy, they know not when they have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand; they all turn to their own way, each one to his gain, one and all.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Yea, they are insatiable dogs, that know not what it is to be filled, and they are wicked, having no understanding: all have followed their own ways, each according to his own will .

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ οἱ κύνες ἀναιδεῖς τῇ ψυχῇ, οὐκ εἰδότες πλησμονήν· καί εἰσι πονηροὶ οὐκ εἰδότες σύνεσιν, πάντες ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτων ἐξηκολούθησαν, ἕκαστος κατὰ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ.