King James Version

Job 36:21

Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

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Hebrew

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הִ֭שָּׁמֶרhishamerbewardשָׁמַרverb, niphal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “beward”, a commandH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.תֵּ֣פֶןtefenappearפָּנָהverb, qal, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “appear”, a wish or indirect commandH6437to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.appear, at (even-) tide, behold, cast out, come on, [idiom] corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to), (re-) turn (aside, away, back, face, self), [idiom] right (early).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אָ֑וֶןavenidolאָוֶןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “idol”, the ordinary formH205strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idolaffliction, evil, false, idol, iniquity, mischief, mourners(-ing), naught, sorrow, unjust, unrighteous, vain, vanity, wicked(-ness). Compare H369 (אַיִן).כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…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,…זֶ֝֗הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…בָּחַ֥רְתָּbachartaacceptableבָּחַרverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “acceptable”, a completed actionH977properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) selectacceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.מֵעֹֽנִיmeonifrom afflictedעֳנִיpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “from afflicted”, the ordinary formH6040depression, i.e. miseryafflicted(-ion), trouble.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Take heed, regard not iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Take heed, regard not iniquity: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Young’s Literal Translation

Take heed — do not turn unto iniquity, For on this thou hast fixed Rather than [on] affliction.

World English Bible

Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.

Darby Translation

Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Douay-Rheims

Beware thou turn not aside to iniquity: for this thou hast begun to follow after misery.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Take heed, regard not iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But take heed lest thou do that which is wrong: for of this thou hast made choice because of poverty.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ἀλλὰ φύλαξαι μὴ πράξῃς ἄτοκα· ἐπὶ τοὺτων γὰρ ἐξείλω ἀπὸ πτωχείας.