King James Version

Zechariah 11:2

Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

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Hebrew

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הֵילֵ֤לheylelhowlיָלַלverb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “howl”, a commandH3213to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with a boisterous one)(make to) howl, be howling.בְּרוֹשׁ֙beroshfirבְּרוֹשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “fir”, the ordinary formH1265a cypress (?) tree; hence, a lance or a musical instrument (as made of that wood)fir (tree).כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…נָ֣פַלnafalfallנָפַלverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “fall”, a completed actionH5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל…אֶ֔רֶזerezcedarאֶרֶזnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cedar”, the ordinary formH730a cedar tree (from the tenacity of its roots)cedar (tree).אֲשֶׁ֥רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…אַדִּרִ֖יםadirimexcellentאַדִּירadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “excellent”, the ordinary formH117wide or (generally) large; figuratively, powerfulexcellent, famous, gallant, glorious, goodly, lordly, mighty(-ier one), noble, principal, worthy.שֻׁדָּ֑דוּshudadvdeadשָׁדַדverb, pual, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “dead”, a completed actionH7703properly, to be burly, i.e. (figuratively) powerful (passively, impregnable); by implication, to ravagedead, destroy(-er), oppress, robber, spoil(-er), [idiom] utterly, (lay) waste.הֵילִ֨ילוּ֙heylilvhowlיָלַלverb, hiphil, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “howl”, a commandH3213to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with a boisterous one)(make to) howl, be howling.אַלּוֹנֵ֣יaloneoakאַלּוֹןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “oak”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH437{an oak or other strong tree}oak.בָשָׁ֔ןvashanBashanבָּשָׁןnoun, proper name — “Bashan”H1316Bashan (often with the article), a region East of the JordanBashan.כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…יָרַ֖דyaradbring downיָרַדverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bring down”, a completed actionH3381to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)[idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take…יַ֥עַרyaarcombיַעַרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “comb”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3293a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees)(honey-) comb, forest, wood.הבצורhvtsvrthe vintageבָּצוֹרdefinite article, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “the vintage”, a verb used as a describing wordH1208inaccessible, i.e. loftyvintage (by confusion with H1210 (בָּצִיר)).הַבָּצִֽירhabatsirthe gatherבָּצַרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the gather”, the ordinary formH1219to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e. inaccessible by height or fortification)cut off, (de-) fenced, fortify, (grape) gather(-er), mighty things, restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Wail, O cypress-tree, for the cedar is fallen; because the glorious ones are spoiled; wail, O ye oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest is come down.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Wail, O fir-tree, for the cedar is fallen, because the goodly ones are destroyed: wail, O ye oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest is come down.

Young’s Literal Translation

Howl, O fir, for fallen hath the cedar, For their honourable ones were destroyed, Howl, ye oaks of Bashan, For come down hath the fenced forest,

World English Bible

Wail, cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen, because the stately ones are destroyed. Wail, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down.

Darby Translation

Howl, cypress, for the cedar is fallen; because the noble ones are spoiled. Howl, ye oaks of Bashan; for the strong forest is come down.

Douay-Rheims

Howl, thou fir tree, for the cedar is fallen, for the mighty are laid waste: howl, ye oaks of Basan, because the fenced forest is cut down.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Wail, O cypress-tree, for the cedar is fallen; because the glorious ones are spoiled; wail, O ye oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest is come down.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Let the pine howl, because the cedar has fallen; for the mighty men have been greatly afflicted: howl, ye oaks of the land of Basan; for the thickly planted forest has been torn down.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὀλολυξάτω πίτυς, διότι πέπτωκε κέδρος, ὅτι μεγάλως μεγιστᾶνες ἐταλαιπώρησαν· ὀλολύξατε δρύες τῆς Βασανίτιδος, ὅτι κατεσπάσθη ὁ δρυμὸς ὁ σύμφυτος.