Deuteronomy 4:6

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

You must keep and do them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations, who will hear about all these statutes and say, 'Indeed, this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה

Transliteration

And-ushᵉmartem and-waʿăśîtem, for hîw your-ḥokmatkhem and-your-bînatkhem to-ʿênê the-ʿammîm who yishmᵉʿûn ʾet all-the-ḥuqqîm the-these, and-wᵉʾāmrû surely people-ḥākām and-nābôn the-gôy the-gādôl the-this

Grammar Details

• *û*: conjunction - and
• *shᵉmartem*: verb, qal perfect, second person masculine plural - you shall keep/observe
• *wa*: conjunction - and
• *ʿăśîtem*: verb, qal perfect, second person masculine plural - you shall do/perform
• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *hîw*: pronoun, third person feminine singular - it/she
• *ḥokmatkhem*: noun, feminine singular with second person masculine plural suffix - your wisdom
• *bînatkhem*: noun, feminine singular with second person masculine plural suffix - your understanding
• *lᵉ*: preposition - to/for
• *ʿênê*: noun, feminine dual construct - eyes of
• *ʿammîm*: noun, masculine plural - peoples/nations
• *yishmᵉʿûn*: verb, qal imperfect, third person masculine plural - they will hear
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *kol*: noun, masculine singular construct - all of
• *ḥuqqîm*: noun, masculine plural - statutes/decrees
• *ʾēlleh*: demonstrative pronoun, common plural - these
• *wᵉʾāmrû*: conjunction with verb, qal perfect, third person masculine plural - and they will say
• *raq*: adverb - only/surely
• *ʿam*: noun, masculine singular construct - people of
• *ḥākām*: adjective, masculine singular - wise
• *nābôn*: adjective, masculine singular - understanding/discerning
• *gôy*: noun, masculine singular - nation
• *gādôl*: adjective, masculine singular - great/large
• *zeh*: demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular - this

Word Meanings

• *shᵉmartem*: you shall keep/observe/guard/preserve
• *ʿăśîtem*: you shall do/perform/make/accomplish
• *ḥokmatkhem*: your wisdom/skill/expertise
• *bînatkhem*: your understanding/discernment/intelligence
• *ʿammîm*: peoples/nations/ethnic groups
• *yishmᵉʿûn*: they will hear/listen/obey
• *ḥuqqîm*: statutes/decrees/prescribed limits
• *raq*: only/surely/certainly
• *ḥākām*: wise/skillful/experienced
• *nābôn*: understanding/discerning/intelligent
• *gôy*: nation/people/gentiles
• *gādôl*: great/large/important

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your unrstanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and unrstanding people.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Kepe them therfore and doo them, for that is youre wisdome and vnderstandynge in the syghte of the nacyons: whiche when they haue herde all these ordinaunces, shall saye: O what a wyse and vnderstondynge people is this greate nacion.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Kepe them now therfore and do them: for that is youre wysdome and vnderstondinge in the sight of all nacions, which wha they haue herde all these ordinaunces, shall saye: O what a wyse and vnderstondinge folke is this? and how excellent a people?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Keepe them therefore, and doe them; for that is your wisdome, and your vnderstanding in the sight of the people, which shall heare all these ordinances, and shall say, Onely this people is wise, and of vnderstanding, and a great nation.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Kepe them therfore and do them, for that is your wisdome and vnderstandyng in the syght of the people, that they may heare all these ordinaunces, and say: Surely it is a wise and vnderstandyng people, it is a great nation.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Keep therefore and do [them]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [is] a wise and understanding people.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and ye have kept and done `them' (for it `is' your wisdom and your understanding) before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these statutes, and they have said, Only, a people wise and understanding `is' this great nation.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  So keep these laws and do them; for so will your wisdom and good sense be clear in the eyes of the peoples, who hearing all these laws will say, Truly, this great nation is a wise and far-seeing people.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say,“Indeed, this great nation is a very wise people.”

Referenced Verses

• Job 28:28 : 28 And He said to mankind, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'
• Prov 1:7 : 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• Ps 19:7 : 7 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
• Ps 111:10 : 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who obey His precepts have good understanding. His praise endures forever.
• Dan 5:11-16 : 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners. 12 Because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, intelligence, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems, this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, can solve these mysteries. Now summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation. 13 So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, 'Are you Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?' 14 I have heard about you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have enlightenment, insight, and extraordinary wisdom. 15 Now, the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not explain the meaning. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. If you can read this writing and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around your neck, and be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
• 2 Tim 3:15 : 15 And from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
• Jas 3:13 : 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show his works by his good conduct with the humility that comes from wisdom.
• Zech 8:20-23 : 20 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Again, peoples and inhabitants of many cities will come, 21 and the inhabitants of one city will go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and seek the LORD of Hosts. I myself am going.’ 22 And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. 23 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: In those days, ten men from every language and nation will take hold of the robe of a Jewish man and say, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’
• Mal 3:12 : 12 All nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of Hosts.
• Deut 30:19-20 : 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you and your descendants may live, 20 loving the LORD your God, obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give them.
• 1 Kgs 10:6-9 : 6 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own land about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me; your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How blessed your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to uphold justice and righteousness.
• Ps 119:98-99 : 98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the elders, because I keep Your precepts.
• Prov 14:8 : 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand their path, but the folly of fools is deceit.
• Jer 8:9 : 9 The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what wisdom do they really have?
• Dan 1:20 : 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
• Dan 4:9 : 9 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and it provided food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and every creature was fed from it.