King James Version

Lamentations 4:9

They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

טוֹבִ֤יםtovimgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…הָיוּ֙hayvbeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be”, a completed 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.חַלְלֵיchallekillחָלָלadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, construct — “kill”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2491pierced (especially to death); figuratively, pollutedkill, profane, slain (man), [idiom] slew, (deadly) wounded.חֶ֔רֶבcherevknifeחֶרֶבnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “knife”, the ordinary formH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖יmechallefrom killחָלָלpreposition, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, construct — “from kill”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2491pierced (especially to death); figuratively, pollutedkill, profane, slain (man), [idiom] slew, (deadly) wounded.רָעָ֑בraavhungerרָעָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “hunger”, the ordinary formH7458hunger (more or less extensive)dearth, famine, [phrase] famished, hunger.שֶׁ֣הֵ֤םshehemwho theyהֵםparticle, relative, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “who they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.יָז֨וּבוּ֙yazuvvhave a issueזוּבverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “have a issue”, an unfinished actionH2100to flow freely (as water), i.e. (specifically) to have a (sexual) flux; figuratively, to waste away; also to overflowflow, gush out, have a (running) issue, pine away, run.מְדֻקָּרִ֔יםmeduqarimpierceדָּקַרverb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “pierce”, a verb used as a describing wordH1856to stab; by analogy, to starve; figuratively, to revilepierce, strike (thrust) through, wound.מִתְּנוּבֹ֖תmitnuvotfrom fruitתְּנוּבָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, construct — “from fruit”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8570producefruit, increase.שָׂדָֽיsadayfieldשָׂדֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “field”, the ordinary formH7704a field (as flat)country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

Young’s Literal Translation

Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

World English Bible

Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field.

Darby Translation

The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

Douay-Rheims

Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Teth. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: they have departed, pierced through from want of the fruits of the field.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ΤΗΘ. Καλοὶ ἦσαν οἱ τραυματίαι ῥομφαίας, ἢ οἱ τραυματίαι λιμοῦ· ἐπορεύθησαν ἐκκεκεντημένοι ἀπὸ γεννημάτων ἀγρῶν.