King James Version

Psalms 78:2

I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

אֶפְתְּחָ֣הeftechahopenפָּתַחverb, qal, cohortative, 1st person, common, singular — “open”, a determination or requestH6605to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carveappear, break forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-) grave(-n), loose (self), (be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.בְמָשָׁ֣לvemashalin bywordמָשָׁלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in byword”, the ordinary formH4912properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)byword, like, parable, proverb.פִּ֑יpiedgeפֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…אַבִּ֥יעָהabiahutterנָבַעverb, hiphil, cohortative, 1st person, common, singular — “utter”, a determination or requestH5042to gush forth; figuratively, to utter (good or bad words); specifically, to emit (a foul odor)belch out, flowing, pour out, send forth, utter (abundantly).חִ֝יד֗וֹתchidotdark sayingחִידָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “dark saying”, the ordinary formH2420a puzzle, hence, a trick, conundrum, sententious maximdark saying (sentence, speech), hard question, proverb, riddle.מִנִּיminifromמִןpreposition — “from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.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)

I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter dark sayings concerning 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)

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,

Young’s Literal Translation

I open with a simile my mouth, I bring forth hidden things of old,

World English Bible

I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old,

Darby Translation

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter riddles from of old,

Douay-Rheims

They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the earth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter dark sayings concerning days of old;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter dark sayings which have been from the beginning.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, φθέγξομαι προβλήματα ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς.

Fulfilled in

Matthew 13:35 Matthew 13:35 · King James VersionThat it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.Matthew 13:35 · King James VersionOpen the Source
That it might be fulfilled · speaking in parables · NT explicit
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.