King James Version

Job 16:4

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

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Hebrew

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גַּ֤םgamalsoגַּםparticle, 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.אָנֹכִי֮anokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.כָּכֶ֪םkakhemasכָּכֶ֪םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “as”asאֲדַ֫בֵּ֥רָהadaberahspeakדָבַרverb, piel, cohortative, 1st person, common, singular — “speak”, a determination or requestH1696perhaps 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.ל֤וּlvifלוּאconjunction — “if”H3863a conditional particle; if; by implication (interj. as a wish) would that!if (haply), peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God (that).יֵ֪שׁyeshareיֵשׁparticle, demonstrative — “are”H3426there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)(there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.נַפְשְׁכֶ֡םnafshekhemcreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “creature”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5315properly, 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,…תַּ֤חַתtachatwithתַּחַתpreposition — “with”H8478the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with.נַפְשִׁ֗יnafshicreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “creature”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5315properly, 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,…אַחְבִּ֣ירָהachbirahjoinחָבַרverb, hiphil, cohortative, 1st person, common, singular — “join”, a determination or requestH2266to join (literally or figuratively); specifically (by means of spells) to fascinatecharm(-er), be compact, couple (together), have fellowship with, heap up, join (self, together), league.עֲלֵיכֶ֣םaleykhemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “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,…בְּמִלִּ֑יםbemilimin wordמִלָּהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “in word”, the ordinary formH4405a word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic[phrase] answer, by-word, matter, any thing (what) to say, to speak(-ing), speak, talking, word.וְאָנִ֥יעָהveaniahand to up and downנוּעַconjunction, verb, hiphil, cohortative, 1st person, common, singular — “and to up and down”, a determination or requestH5128to waver, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (as subjoined)continually, fugitive, [idiom] make, to (go) up and down, be gone away, (be) move(-able, -d), be promoted, reel, remove, scatter, set, shake, sift, stagger, to and fro, be vagabond, wag, (make) wander (up and down).עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗םaleykhemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “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,…בְּמ֣וֹbemvoin intoבְּמוֹpreposition — “in into”H1119in, with, by, etc.for, in into, through.רֹאשִֽׁיroshiheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

I also could speak as ye do; if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.

Young’s Literal Translation

I also, like you, might speak, If your soul were in my soul's stead. I might join against you with words, And nod at you with my head.

World English Bible

I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul’s place, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you,

Darby Translation

I also could speak as ye: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join together words against you, and shake my head at you;

Douay-Rheims

I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

I also could speak as ye do; if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

I also will speak as ye do : if indeed your soul were in my soul's stead, then would I insult you with words, and I would shake my head at you.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Κᾀγὼ καθʼ ὑμᾶς λαλήσω· εἰ ὑπέκειτό γε ἡ ψυχὴ ὑμῶν ἀντὶ τῆς ἐμῆς, εἶτʼ ἐναλοῦμαι ὑμῖν ῥήμασι· κινήσω δὲ καθʼ ὑμῶν κεφαλήν.