King James Version

Job 9:21

Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

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Hebrew

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תָּֽםtamcoupled togetherתָּםadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “coupled together”, the ordinary formH8535complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically, gentle, dearcoupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright.אָ֭נִיanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.לֹֽאlono , -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…אֵדַ֥עedaknowיָדַעverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “know”, an unfinished 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…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,…אֶמְאַ֥סemasabhorמָאַסverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “abhor”, an unfinished actionH3988to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappearabhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, [idiom] utterly, vile person.חַיָּֽיchayaylifeחַיnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “life”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.

Young’s Literal Translation

Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.

World English Bible

I am blameless. I don’t respect myself. I despise my life.

Darby Translation

Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

Douay-Rheims

Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

I am innocent — I regard not myself, I despise my life.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For even if I have sinned, I know it not in my soul: but my life is taken away.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἴτε γὰρ ἠσέβησα, οὐκ οἶδα τῇ ψυχῇ, πλὴν ἀφαιρεῖταί μου ἡ ζωή.