King James Version

Psalms 102:6

I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 102:7.

דָּ֭מִיתִיdamiticompareדָּמָהverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “compare”, a completed actionH1819to compare; by implication, to resemble, liken, considercompare, devise, (be) like(-n), mean, think, use similitudes.לִקְאַ֣תliqatto cormorantקָאַתpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “to cormorant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6893probably the pelican (from vomiting)cormorant.מִדְבָּ֑רmidbardesertמִדְבָּרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “desert”, the ordinary formH4057a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs)desert, south, speech, wilderness.הָ֝יִ֗יתִיhayitibeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “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.כְּכ֣וֹסkekhosas cupכּוֹסpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “as cup”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3563a cup (as a container), often figuratively, a lot (as if a potion); also some unclean bird, probably an owl (perhaps from the cup-like cavity of its eye)cup, (small) owl. Compare H3599 (כִּיס).חֳרָבֽוֹתchoravotdecayed placeחׇרְבָּהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “decayed place”, the ordinary formH2723properly, drought, i.e. (by implication) a desolationdecayed place, desolate (place, -tion), destruction, (laid) waste (place).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(102-7) I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.

Young’s Literal Translation

I have been like to a pelican of the wilderness, I have been as an owl of the dry places.

World English Bible

I am like a pelican of the wilderness. I have become as an owl of the waste places.

Darby Translation

I am become like the pelican of the wilderness, I am as an owl in desolate places;

Douay-Rheims

The Lord doth mercies, and judgment for all that suffer wrong.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(102-7) I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

I have become like a pelican of the wilderness;

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὡμοιώθην πελεκᾶνι ἐρημικῷ, ἐγενήθην ὡσεὶ νυκτικόραξ ἐν οἰκοπέδῳ.