King James Version

Proverbs 25:14

Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

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Hebrew

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נְשִׂיאִ֣יםnesiimcaptainנָשִׂיאnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “captain”, the ordinary formH5387properly, an exalted one, i.e. a king or sheik; also a rising mistcaptain, chief, cloud, governor, prince, ruler, vapour.וְ֭רוּחַveruchaand angerרוּחַconjunction, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “and 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).וְגֶ֣שֶׁםvegeshemand showerגֶּשֶׁםconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and shower”, the ordinary formH1653a showerrain, shower.אָ֑יִןayinelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).אִ֥ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗לmithalelboastהָלַלverb, hithpael, participle, absolute — “boast”, a verb used as a describing wordH1984to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify(make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.בְּמַתַּתbematatin giftמַתָּתpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “in gift”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4991a presentgift.שָֽׁקֶרshaqerwithout a causeשֶׁקֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “without a cause”, the ordinary formH8267an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial)without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, [phrase] lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

As vapours and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

As clouds and wind without rain, So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.

Young’s Literal Translation

Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.

World English Bible

As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

Darby Translation

Clouds and wind without rain, [so] is a man that boasteth himself of a false gift.

Douay-Rheims

As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfill his promises.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

As vapours and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

As winds and clouds and rains are most evident objects , so is he that boasts of a false gift.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὥσπερ ἄνεμοι καὶ νέφη καὶ ὑετοὶ, ἐπιφανέστατα, οὕτως ὁ καυχώμενος ἐπὶ δόσει ψευδεῖ.