King James Version

Psalms 140:11

Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

Study

Hebrew

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

In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 140:12.

אִ֥ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a 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…לָשׁוֹן֮lashontongueלָשׁוֹןnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “tongue”, the ordinary formH3956the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)[phrase] babbler, bay, [phrase] evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.בַּלballestבַּלparticle, negative — “lest”H1077properly, a failure; by implication nothing; usually (adverb) not at all; also lestlest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing.יִכּ֪וֹןyikonbe fittedכּוּןverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be fitted”, an unfinished actionH3559properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth…בָּ֫אָ֥רֶץbaaretsin earthאֶרֶץpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.אִישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a 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…חָמָ֥סchamasviolenceחָמָסnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “violence”, the ordinary formH2555violence; by implication, wrong; by meton. unjust gaincruel(-ty), damage, false, injustice, [idiom] oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong.רָ֑עrabadרַעadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…יְ֝צוּדֶ֗נּוּyetsudenvchaseצוּדverb, qal, jussive, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “chase”, a wish or indirect commandH6679to lie alongside (i.e. in wait); by implication, to catch an animal (figuratively, men); to victual (for a journey)chase, hunt, sore, take (provision).לְמַדְחֵפֹֽתlemadchefotto overthrowמְדַחְפָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “to overthrow”, the ordinary formH4073a push, i.e. ruinoverthrow.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(140-12) A slanderer shall not be established in the earth; the violent and evil man shall be hunted with thrust upon thrust.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth: Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

Young’s Literal Translation

A talkative man is not established in the earth, One of violence — evil hunteth to overflowing.

World English Bible

An evil speaker won’t be established on the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

Darby Translation

Let not the man of [evil] tongue be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the man of violence to [his] ruin.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(140-12) A slanderer shall not be established in the earth; the violent and evil man shall be hunted with thrust upon thrust.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

A talkative man shall not prosper on the earth: evils shall hunt the unrighteous man to destruction.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀνὴρ γλωσσώδης οὐ κατευθυνθήσεται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ἄνδρα ἄδικον κακὰ θηρεύσει εἰς καταφθοράν.