Parallel Verses

Darby Translation

The best of them is as a briar; the most upright, worse than a thorn-fence. The day of thy watchmen, thy visitation is come; now shall be their perplexity.

New American Standard Bible

The best of them is like a briar,
The most upright like a thorn hedge.
The day when you post your watchmen,
Your punishment will come.
Then their confusion will occur.

King James Version

The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

Holman Bible

The best of them is like a brier;
the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns.
The day of your watchmen,
the day of your punishment, is coming;
at this time their panic is here.

International Standard Version

The best of them is like a thorn, and their most upright like a hedge of thorns. The day announced by your watchmen and by your own calculations approaches. Now it's your time to be confused!

A Conservative Version

The best of them is as a brier. The most upright is [worse] than a thorn hedge. The day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, has come. Now shall be their perplexity.

American Standard Version

The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity.

Amplified


The best of them is [injurious] like a briar;
The most upright is [prickly] like a thorn hedge.
The day of your watchmen [that is, the time predicted by the prophets]
And your punishment comes;
Now shall be their confusion.

Bible in Basic English

The best of them is like a waste plant, and their upright ones are like a wall of thorns. Sorrow! the day of their fate has come; now will trouble come on them.

Julia Smith Translation

Their good as the thorn, the upright more than the thorn-hedge: the day of thy watchings and thy reviewings came; now shall be their perplexity.

King James 2000

The best of them is like a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of your watchmen and your punishment comes; now shall be their perplexity.

Lexham Expanded Bible

The best of them [is] like a brier; [the most] upright [worse] than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchman, your punishment, has come; now their confusion will come.

Modern King James verseion

The best of them is like a briar; the most upright is sharper than a hedge of thorns. The day of your watchmen and your punishment comes; now their shame shall come.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

The best of them is but as a thistle, and the most righteous of them is but as a brier in the hedge. But when the day of thy preachers cometh, that thou shalt be visited: then shall they be wasted away.

NET Bible

The best of them is like a thorn; the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes. The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen -- your appointed time of punishment -- is on the way, and then you will experience confusion.

New Heart English Bible

The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.

The Emphasized Bible

The best of them, is as a sharp briar, and, the most upright, worse than a thorn hedge, The day of thy watchmen - of thy visitation, hath come, Now, shall be their confusion!

Webster

The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

World English Bible

The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.

Youngs Literal Translation

Their best one is as a brier, The upright one -- than a thorn-hedge, The day of thy watchmen -- Thy visitation -- hath come. Now is their perplexity.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
of them is as a brier
חדק 
Chedeq 
Usage: 2

מסוּכה 
M@cuwkah 
Usage: 1

the day
יום 
Yowm 
Usage: 2293

צפה 
Tsaphah 
Usage: 36

פּקדּה 
P@quddah 
Usage: 32


come, bring, ... in, enter, go, carry, ...down, pass, ...out,
Usage: 0

Context Readings

Wait Upon Yahweh

3 Both hands are for evil, to do it well. The prince asketh, and the judge is there for a reward; and the great man uttereth his soul's greed: and together they combine it. 4 The best of them is as a briar; the most upright, worse than a thorn-fence. The day of thy watchmen, thy visitation is come; now shall be their perplexity. 5 Believe ye not in a companion, put not confidence in a familiar friend: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

Cross References

Isaiah 22:5

For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity, from the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, in the valley of vision; a day of breaking down the wall, and of crying to the mountain:

Ezekiel 2:6

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, and be not afraid of their words; for briars and thorns are with thee, and thou dwellest among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, and be not dismayed at their faces; for they are a rebellious house.

2 Samuel 23:6-7

But the sons of Belial are all of them as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands;

Isaiah 10:3

And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the sudden destruction which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help, and where will ye leave your glory?

Isaiah 55:13

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Jeremiah 8:12

Are they ashamed that they have committed abomination? Nay, they are not at all ashamed, and they know not how to blush. Therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall stumble, saith Jehovah.

Jeremiah 10:15

They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

Ezekiel 12:23-24

Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the accomplishment of every vision.

Hosea 9:7-8

The days of visitation are come; the days of recompence are come: Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the inspired man is mad, because of the greatness of thine iniquity, and the great enmity.

Amos 8:2

And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer-fruit. And Jehovah said unto me, The end is come upon my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more.

Nahum 1:10

Though they be tangled together as thorns, and be as drenched from their drink, they shall be devoured as dry stubble, completely.

Luke 21:25

And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roar of the sea and rolling waves,

Hebrews 6:8

but bringing forth thorns and briars, it is found worthless and nigh to a curse, whose end is to be burned.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain