King James Version

Job 21:18

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

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Hebrew

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יִהְי֗וּyihyvbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כְּתֶ֥בֶןketevenas chaffתֶּבֶןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as chaff”, the ordinary formH8401properly, material, i.e. (specifically) refuse haum or stalks of grain (as chopped in threshing and used for fodder)chaff, straw, stubble.לִפְנֵיlifneto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…ר֑וּחַruchaangerרוּחַnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “anger”, the ordinary formH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץukhemotsand as chaffמֹץconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and as chaff”, the ordinary formH4671chaff (as pressed out, i.e. winnowed or (rather) threshed loose)chaff.גְּנָבַ֥תּוּgenavatvcarry awayגָּנַבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “carry away”, a completed actionH1589to thieve (literally or figuratively); by implication, to deceivecarry away, [idiom] indeed, secretly bring, steal (away), get by stealth.סוּפָֽהsufahstormסוּפָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “storm”, the ordinary formH5492a hurricaneRed Sea, storm, tempest, whirlwind, Red sea.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm stealeth away?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?

Young’s Literal Translation

They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,

World English Bible

How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?

Darby Translation

Do they become as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away?

Douay-Rheims

They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm stealeth away?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And they shall be as chaff before the wind, or as dust which the storm has taken up.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἔσονται δὲ ὥσπερ ἄχυρα ὑπʼ ἀνέμου, ἢ ὥσπερ κονιορτὸς ὃν ὑφείλετο λαίλαψ.