King James Version

Jeremiah 8:6

I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

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Hebrew

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הִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּיhiqshavtiattendקָשַׁבverb, hiphil, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “attend”, a completed actionH7181to prick up the ears, i.e. hearkenattend, (cause to) hear(-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard.וָֽאֶשְׁמָע֙vaeshmaand hearשָׁמַעconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and hear”, the next action in the storyH8085to 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…לוֹאlono , -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…כֵ֣ןkhenas... asכֵּןadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “as... as”, the ordinary formH3651properly, 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…יְדַבֵּ֔רוּyedabervspeakדָבַרverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “speak”, an unfinished actionH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.אֵ֣יןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).אִ֗ישׁisha 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…נִחָם֙nichamcomfortנָחַםverb, niphal, passive participle, absolute — “comfort”, a verb used as a describing wordH5162properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)comfort (self), ease (one's self), repent(-er,-ing, self).עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…רָ֣עָת֔וֹraatvobadרַעnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bad”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…לֵאמֹ֖רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to 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…מֶ֣הmehhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “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.עָשִׂ֑יתִיasitidoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…כֻּלֹּ֗הkuloallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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).שָׁ֚בshavagainשׁוּבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “again”, a verb used as a describing wordH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…במרצותםvmrtsvtmin courseמְרוּצָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in course”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4794a race (the act), whether the manner or the progresscourse, running. Compare H4835 (מְרֻצָה).בִּמְר֣וּצָתָ֔םbimrutsatamin courseמְרוּצָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in course”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4794a race (the act), whether the manner or the progresscourse, running. Compare H4835 (מְרֻצָה).כְּס֥וּסkesusas horse . Compare H6571סוּסpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as horse . Compare H6571”, the ordinary formH5483a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight)crane, horse (-back, -hoof). Compare H6571 (פָּרָשׁ).שׁוֹטֵ֖ףshotefdrownשָׁטַףverb, qal, participle, absolute — “drown”, a verb used as a describing wordH7857to gush; by implication, to inundate, cleanse; by analogy, to gallop, conquerdrown, (over-) flow(-whelm, rinse, run, rush, (throughly) wash (away).בַּמִּלְחָמָֽהbamilchamahin battleמִלְחָמָהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in battle”, the ordinary formH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

I attended and listened, but they spoke not aright; no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying: 'What have I done?' Every one turneth away in his course, as a horse that rusheth headlong in the battle.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turneth to his course, as a horse that rusheth headlong in the battle.

Young’s Literal Translation

I have given attention, yea, I hearken, They do not speak right, No man hath repented of his wickedness, Saying, What have I done? Every one hath turned to his courses, As a horse is rushing into battle.

World English Bible

I listened and heard, but they didn’t say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.

Darby Translation

I hearkened and heard: they speak not what is right; there is no man who repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth to his course, like a horse rushing into the battle.

Douay-Rheims

I attended, and hearkened; no man speaketh what is good, there is none that doth penance for his sin, saying: What have I done? They are all turned to their own course, as a horse rushing to the battle.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Hearken, I pray you, and hear: will they not speak thus, There is no man that repents of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? the runner has failed from his course, as a tired horse in his neighing.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ἐνωτίσασθε δὴ, καὶ ἀκούσατε· οὐχ οὕτω λαλήσουσιν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ μετανοῶν ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ, λέγων, τί ἐποίησα; διέλιπεν ὁ τρέχων ἀπὸ τοῦ δρόμου αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἵππος κάθιδρος ἐν χρεμετισμῷ αὐτοῦ.