King James Version

Psalms 139:20

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

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Hebrew

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אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…יֹ֭אמְרֻךָyomrukhasayאָמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “say”, an unfinished 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…לִמְזִמָּ֑הlimzimahto deviceמְזִמָּהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to device”, the ordinary formH4209a plan, usually evil (machination), sometimes good (sagacity)(wicked) device, discretion, intent, witty invention, lewdness, mischievous (device), thought, wickedly.נָשֻׂ֖אnasulift upנָשָׂאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “lift up”, a completed actionH5375to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relativeaccept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable…לַשָּׁ֣וְאlashaveto falseשָׁוְאpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to 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.עָרֶֽיךָareykhaenemyעָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “enemy”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6145a foe (as watchful for mischief)enemy.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Who utter Thy name with wicked thought, they take it for falsehood, even Thine enemies —

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

For they speak against thee wickedly, And thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Young’s Literal Translation

Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity [are] Thine enemies.

World English Bible

For they speak against you wickedly. Your enemies take your name in vain.

Darby Translation

For they speak of thee wickedly, they take [thy name] in vain, thine enemies.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Who utter Thy name with wicked thought, they take it for falsehood, even Thine enemies —

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For thou wilt say concerning their thought, that they shall take thy cities in vain.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ὅτι ἐρεῖς εἰς διαλογισμόν· λήψονται εἰς ματαιότητα τὰς πόλεις σου.