King James Version

Malachi 3:14

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

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Hebrew

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אֲמַרְתֶּ֕םamartemsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…שָׁ֖וְאshavefalseשָׁוְאnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “false”, the ordinary formH7723evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain)false(-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.עֲבֹ֣דavodkeep in bondageעָבַדverb, qal, infinitive construct — “keep in bondage”, the to-form of the verbH5647to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.[idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er)…אֱלֹהִ֑יםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.וּמַהumahand howמָהconjunction, particle, interrogative — “and how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.בֶּ֗צַעbetsagainבֶּצַעnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “gain”, the ordinary formH1215plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust)covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit.כִּ֤יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…שָׁמַ֨רְנוּ֙shamarnvbewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “beward”, a completed actionH8104properly, 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).מִשְׁמַרְתּ֔וֹmishmartvoor to be keptמִשְׁמֶרֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “or to be kept”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4931watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post; objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe; figuratively observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or partycharge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch.וְכִ֤יvekhiand assuredכִּיconjunction, conjunction — “and 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…הָלַ֨כְנוּ֙halakhnvwalkהָלַךְverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “walk”, a completed actionH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…קְדֹ֣רַנִּ֔יתqedoranitmournfullyקְדֹרַנִּיתadverb — “mournfully”H6941blackish ones (i.e. in sackcloth); used adverbially, in mourning weedsmournfully.מִפְּנֵ֖יmipnefrom a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “from 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(-…יְהוָ֥הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).צְבָאֽוֹתtsevaotarmyצָבָאnoun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “army”, the ordinary formH6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Ye have said: 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked mournfully because of the LORD of hosts?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?

Young’s Literal Translation

Ye have said, 'A vain thing to serve God! And what gain when we kept His charge? And when we have gone in black, Because of Jehovah of Hosts?

World English Bible

You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God,’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

Darby Translation

Ye say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we keep his charge, and that we walk mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?

Douay-Rheims

And you have said: What have we spoken against thee? You have said: He laboureth in vain that serveth God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked sorrowful before the Lord of hosts?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Ye have said: 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked mournfully because of the LORD of hosts?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Ye said, He that serves God labours in vain: and what have we gained in that we have kept his ordinances, and in that we have walked as suppliants before the face of the Lord Almighty?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἴπατε, μάταιος ὁ δουλεύων Θεῷ, καὶ τί πλέον, ὅτι ἐφυλάξαμεν τὰ φυλάγματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ διότι ἐπορεύθημεν ἱκέται πρὸ προσώπου Κυρίου παντοκράτορος;