King James Version

Psalms 52:3

Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 52:5.

אָהַ֣בְתָּahavtaloveאָהַבverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “love”, a completed actionH157to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)(be-) love(-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.רָּ֣עrabadרַעadjective, 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…מִטּ֑וֹבmitovfrom goodטוֹבpreposition, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “from good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…שֶׁ֓קֶרsheqerwithout a causeשֶׁקֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “without a cause”, the ordinary formH8267an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial)without a cause, deceit(-ful), false(-hood, -ly), feignedly, liar, [phrase] lie, lying, vain (thing), wrongfully.מִדַּבֵּ֖רmidaberfrom speakדָבַרpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “from speak”, the to-form of the verbH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.צֶ֣דֶקtsedeqrightצֶדֶקnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “right”, the ordinary formH6664the right (natural, moral or legal); also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity[idiom] even, ([idiom] that which is altogether) just(-ice), (un-)right(-eous) (cause, -ly, -ness).סֶֽלָהselahSelahסֶלָהparticle, interjection — “Selah”H5542suspension (of music), i.e. pauseSelah.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(52-5) Thou lovest evil more than good; falsehood rather than speaking righteousness. Selah

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou lovest evil more than good, And lying rather than to speak righteousness. [Selah

Young’s Literal Translation

Thou hast loved evil rather than good, Lying, than speaking righteousness. Selah.

World English Bible

You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. Selah.

Darby Translation

Thou hast loved evil rather than good, lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

Douay-Rheims

God looked down from heaven on the children of men: to see if there were any that did understand, or did seek God.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(52-5) Thou lovest evil more than good; falsehood rather than speaking righteousness. Selah

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Thou hast loved wickedness more than goodness; unrighteousness better than to speak righteousness. Pause.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἠγάπησας κακίαν ὑπὲρ ἀγαθωσύνην, ἀδικίαν ὑπὲρ τὸ λαλῆσαι δικαιοσύνην· διάψαλμα.