King James Version

Psalms 44:1

We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 44:2. The heading is Hebrew Psalms 44:1.

Heading in the Hebrew text

לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַlamnatsechato excelנָצַחpreposition, with the article, verb, piel, participle, absolute — “to excel”, a verb used as a describing wordH5329properly, to glitter from afar, i.e. to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); to be permanentexcel, chief musician (singer), oversee(-r), set forward.לִבְנֵיlivneto sonבֵּןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “to son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […קֹ֬רַחqorachKorahקֹרַחnoun, proper name — “Korah”H7141Korach, the name of two Edomites and three IsraelitesKorah.מַשְׂכִּֽילmaskilMaschilמַשְׂכִּילnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Maschil”, the ordinary formH4905instructive, i.e. a didactic poemMaschil.

אֱלֹהִ֤יםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּbeazeneynvin earאֹזֶןpreposition, noun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “in ear”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH241broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)[phrase] advertise, audience, [phrase] displease, ear, hearing, [phrase] show.שָׁמַ֗עְנוּshamanvhearשָׁמַעverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “hear”, a completed actionH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…אֲבוֹתֵ֥ינוּavoteynvfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.סִפְּרוּsiprvcommuneסָפַרverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “commune”, a completed actionH5608properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebratecommune, (ac-) count; declare, number, [phrase] penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.לָ֑נוּlanvtoלָ֑נוּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “to”toפֹּ֥עַלpoalactפֹּעַלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “act”, the ordinary formH6467an act or work (concretely)act, deed, do, getting, maker, work.פָּעַ֥לְתָּpaaltadoפָּעַלverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6466to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practisecommit, (evil-) do(-er), make(-r), ordain, work(-er).בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗םvimeyhemin as long asיוֹםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in as long as”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…בִּ֣ימֵיbimein as long asיוֹםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “in as long as”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…קֶֽדֶםqedembeforeקֶדֶםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “before”, the ordinary formH6924the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end, part, side, -ward), eternal, [idiom] ever(-lasting), forward, old, past. Compare H6926 (קִדְמָה).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(44-1) For the Leader; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Maschil. (44-2) O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us; a work Thou didst in their days, in the days of old.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, What work thou didst in their days, In the days of old.

Young’s Literal Translation

To the Overseer. — By sons of Korah. An Instruction. O God, with our ears we have heard, Our fathers have recounted to us, The work Thou didst work in their days, In the days of old.

World English Bible

We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us what work you did in their days, in the days of old.

Darby Translation

O God, with our ears have we heard, our fathers have told us, the work thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old:

Douay-Rheims

Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, for the sons of Core, for understanding. A canticle for the Beloved.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(44-1) For the Leader; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Maschil. (44-2) O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us; a work Thou didst in their days, in the days of old.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, the work which thou wroughtest in their days, in the days of old.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν ἡμῶν ἠκούσαμεν, οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἀνήγγειλαν ἡμῖν, ἔργον ὃ εἰργάσω ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῶν, ἐν ἡμεραίς ἀρχαίαις.