King James Version

Psalms 73:13

Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

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Hebrew

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אַךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, 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).רִ֭יקriqvainרִיקnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vain”, the ordinary formH7385emptiness; figuratively, a worthless thing; adverbially, in vainempty, to no purpose, (in) vain (thing), vanity.זִכִּ֣יתִיzikitibe cleanזָכָהverb, piel, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “be clean”, a completed actionH2135to be translucent; figuratively, to be innocentbe (make) clean, cleanse, be clear, count pure.לְבָבִ֑יlevavibreastלֵבָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “breast”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3824the heart (as the most interior organ);[phrase] bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-) heart(-ed), midst, mind, [idiom] unawares, understanding.וָאֶרְחַ֖ץvaerchatsand batheרָחַץconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and bathe”, the next action in the storyH7364to lave (the whole or a part of a thing)bathe (self), wash (self).בְּנִקָּי֣וֹןbeniqayonin cleannessנִקָּיוֹןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in cleanness”, the ordinary formH5356clearness (literally or figuratively)cleanness, innocency.כַּפָּֽיkapayhand , -dle,כַּףnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “hand , -dle,”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, powerbranch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocency;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency;

Young’s Literal Translation

Only — a vain thing! I have purified my heart, And I wash in innocency my hands,

World English Bible

Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,

Darby Translation

Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency:

Douay-Rheims

Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocency;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And I said, Verily in vain have I justified my heart, and washed my hands in innocency.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπα, ἄρα ματαίως ἐδικαίωσα τὴν καρδίαν μου, καὶ ἐνιψάμην ἐν ἀθώοις τὰς χεῖράς μου·