King James Version

Psalms 49:8

(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 49:9.

וְ֭יֵקַרveyeqarand be preciousיָקַרconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be precious”, an unfinished actionH3365properly, apparently, to be heavy, i.e. (figuratively) valuable; causatively, to make rare (figuratively, to inhibit)be (make) precious, be prized, be set by, withdraw.פִּדְי֥וֹןpidyonransomפִּדְיוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “ransom”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6306a ransomransom, that were redeemed, redemption.נַפְשָׁ֗םnafshamcreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “creature”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…וְחָדַ֥לvechadaland be unoccupiedחָדַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be unoccupied”, a completed action in a sequenceH2308properly, to be flabby, i.e. (by implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or idlecease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let alone, rest, be unoccupied, want.לְעוֹלָֽםleolamto alwayעוֹלָםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to alway”, the ordinary formH5769properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) alwaysalway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, (n-)) ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world ([phrase] without end). Compare H5331 (נֶצַח), H5…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(49-9) For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever —

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

(For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever),

Young’s Literal Translation

And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased — to the age.

World English Bible

For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

Darby Translation

(For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever,)

Douay-Rheims

I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(49-9) For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever —

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labour for ever,

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τῆς λυτρώσεως τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα,