King James Version

Jeremiah 13:23

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

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Hebrew

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הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְhayahafokhechangeהָפַךְparticle, interrogative, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “change”, an unfinished actionH2015to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert[idiom] become, change, come, be converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse, retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary, every way).כּוּשִׁי֙kushiCushiteכּוּשִׁיnoun, gentilic, masculine, singular, absolute — “Cushite”, the ordinary formH3569a Cushite, or descendant of CushCushi, Cushite, Ethiopian(-s).עוֹר֔וֹorvohideעוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “hide”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5785skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leatherhide, leather, skin.וְנָמֵ֖רvenamerand leopardנָמֵרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and leopard”, the ordinary formH5246a leopard (from its stripes)leopard.חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יוchavarburotayvspotחֲבַרְבֻּרָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “spot”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2272a streak (like a line), as on the tigerspot.גַּםgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.אַתֶּם֙atemtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.תּוּכְל֣וּtukhelvbe ableיָכֹלverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “be able”, an unfinished actionH3201to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.לְהֵיטִ֔יבleheytivto be acceptedיָטַבpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to be accepted”, the to-form of the verbH3190to be (causative) make well, literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy, successful, right)be accepted, amend, use aright, benefit, be (make) better, seem best, make cheerful, be comely, [phrase] be content, diligent(-ly), dress, earnestly, find favour, give, be glad, do (be, make) good(-ness), be (make) merry, please ([phrase]…לִמֻּדֵ֖יlimudeaccustomedלִמּוּדadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, construct — “accustomed”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3928instructedaccustomed, disciple, learned, taught, used.הָרֵֽעַhareabe worseרָעַעverb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “be worse”, the to-form of the verbH7489properly, to spoil (literally, by breaking to pieces); figuratively, to make (or be) good fornothing, i.e. bad (physically, socially or morally)afflict, associate selves (by mistake for H7462 (רָעָה)), break (down, in pieces), [phrase] displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat, man), show self friendly (by mistake for H7462 (רָעָה)), do harm, (do) hurt, (behave self, deal) il…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Young’s Literal Translation

Doth a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? Ye also are able to do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

World English Bible

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

Darby Translation

Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? [Then] may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

Douay-Rheims

If the Ethiopian can change his skin, or the leopard his spots: you may also do well, when you have learned evil.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

If the Ethiopian shall change his skin, or the leopardess her spots, then shall ye be able to do good, having learnt evil.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἰ ἀλλάξεται Αἰθίοψ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆς, καὶ ὑμεῖς δυνήσεσθε εὐποιῆσαι μεμαθηκότες τὰ κακά.