King James Version

Psalms 62:9

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 62:10.

אַ֤ךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).הֶ֥בֶלhevelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.בְּנֵֽיbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “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, […אָדָם֮adampersonאָדָםnoun, 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.כָּזָ֪בkazavdeceitfulכָּזָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “deceitful”, the ordinary formH3577falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol)deceitful, false, leasing, + liar, lie, lying.בְּנֵ֫יbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “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, […אִ֥ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a 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…בְּמֹאזְנַ֥יִםbemoznayimin balancesמֹאזֵןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, dual, absolute — “in balances”, the ordinary formH3976(only in the dual) a pair of scalesbalances.לַעֲל֑וֹתlaalotto ascend upעָלָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to ascend up”, the to-form of the verbH5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurativearise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make t…הֵ֝֗מָּהhemahtheyהֵםpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.מֵהֶ֥בֶלmehevelfrom vanityהֶבֶלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “from vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.יָֽחַדyachadalikeיַחַדnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “alike”, the ordinary formH3162properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedlyalike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-) together, withal.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(62-10) Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie; if they be laid in the balances, they are together lighter than vanity.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: In the balances they will go up; They are together lighter than vanity.

Young’s Literal Translation

Only — vanity [are] the low, a lie the high. In balances to go up they than vanity [are] lighter.

World English Bible

Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.

Darby Translation

Men of low degree are only vanity; men of high degree, a lie: laid in the balance, they go up together [lighter] than vanity.

Douay-Rheims

My soul hath stuck close to thee: thy right hand hath received me.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(62-10) Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie; if they be laid in the balances, they are together lighter than vanity.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But the sons of men are vain; the sons of men are false, so as to be deceitful in the balances; they are all alike formed out of vanity.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Πλὴν μάταιοι οἱ νἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ψευδεῖς οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν ζυγοῖς τοῦ ἀδικῆσαι, αὐτοὶ ἐκ ματαιότητος ἐπιτοαυτό.