King James Version

Psalms 17:4

Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

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Hebrew

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לִפְעֻלּ֣וֹתlifulotto workפְּעֻלָּהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, construct — “to work”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6468(abstractly) worklabour, reward, wages, work.אָ֭דָםadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.בִּדְבַ֣רbidvarin causeדָּבָרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָsefateykhalanguageשָׂפָהnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “language”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8193the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.אֲנִ֥יanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.שָׁ֝מַ֗רְתִּיshamartibewardשָׁמַרverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “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).אָרְח֥וֹתarechotmannerאֹרַחnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “manner”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH734a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravanmanner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop, (by-, high-) way.פָּרִֽיץparitsdestroyerפְּרִיץnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “destroyer”, the ordinary formH6530violent, i.e. a tyrantdestroyer, ravenous, robber.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

As for the doings of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.

Young’s Literal Translation

As to doings of man, Through a word of Thy lips I have observed The paths of a destroyer;

World English Bible

As for the deeds of men, by the word of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.

Darby Translation

Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept from the paths of the violent [man].

Douay-Rheims

Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

As for the doings of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

As for the works of men, by the words of thy lips I have guarded myself from hard ways.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ὅπως ἂν μὴ λαλήσῃ τὸ στόμα μου. Τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων, διὰ τοὺς λόγους τῶν χειλέων σου ἐγὼ ἐφύλαξα ὁδοὺς σκληράς.