King James Version

Jeremiah 5:4

Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

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Hebrew

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וַאֲנִ֣יvaaniand mineאֲנִיconjunction, pronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “and mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.אָמַ֔רְתִּיamartisayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אַךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).דַּלִּ֖יםdalimleanדַּלadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “lean”, the ordinary formH1800properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or thinlean, needy, poor (man), weaker.הֵ֑םhemtheyהֵםpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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.נוֹאֲל֕וּnoalvbe foolishיָאַלverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be foolish”, a completed actionH2973properly, to be slack, i.e. (figuratively) to be foolishdote, be (become, do) foolish(-ly).כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…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…יָדְעוּ֙yadevknowיָדַעverb, 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…דֶּ֣רֶךְderekhalongדֶּרֶךְnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “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).יְהוָ֔הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).מִשְׁפַּ֖טmishpatlawמִשְׁפָּטnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “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,…אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽםeloheyhemGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And I said: 'Surely these are poor, they are foolish, for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the ordinance of their God;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God:

Young’s Literal Translation

And I — I said, 'Surely these [are] poor, They have been foolish, For they have not known the way of Jehovah, The judgment of their God.

World English Bible

Then I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they don’t know Yahweh’s way, nor the law of their God.

Darby Translation

And I said, Surely these are the wretched ones, they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God.

Douay-Rheims

But I said: Perhaps these are poor and foolish, that know not the way of the Lord, the judgement of their God.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And I said: 'Surely these are poor, they are foolish, for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the ordinance of their God;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Then I said, It may be they are poor; for they are weak, for they know not the way of the Lord, or the judgment of God.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐγὼ εἶπα, ἴσως πτωχοί εἰσι, διότι οὐκ ἐδυνάσθησαν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, καὶ κρίσιν Θεοῦ.