valley of the shadow of death

noun

The world, a place where darkness and death are figurative valleys one must walk through as part of the human experience.

OriginHebrew צלמות →
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Meanings

noun
  1. The world, a place where darkness and death are figurative valleys one must walk through as part of the human experience.

    As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death / I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left

    1995, “Gangsta's Paradise”, performed by Coolio, →OCLC
    1 more example

    Yea though I walke through the valley of the shadowe of death, I will feare no euill: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe, they comfort me.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 23:4
  2. broadlyidiomaticA very dangerous place.

Origin

  1. Hebrewצלמות
  2. Englishvalley of the shadow of death

From Psalm 23 of the Book of Psalms. "Shadow of death" is a calque of Hebrew צלמות.

More words from Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἐν μέσῳ σκιᾶς θανάτου
  • ἐν μέσῳ σκιᾶς θανάτου (en mésōi skiâs thanátou)biblical phrase
Chinese Mandarin 死蔭的幽谷 /死荫的幽谷
  • 死蔭的幽谷 /死荫的幽谷 (sǐ yīn dí yōugǔ)biblical phrase
Finnish kuoleman varjon laakso
  • kuoleman varjon laaksobiblical phrase
German das finstere Tal
  • das finstere Talbiblical phrase
Hebrew גיא צלמות
  • גיא צלמות (ge' tsalmawet)biblical phrase
Japanese 死の陰の谷
  • 死の陰の谷 (shi no kage no tani)biblical phrase
Latin in mediō umbrae mortis
  • in mediō umbrae mortisbiblical phrase
Portuguese vale da sombra da morte
  • vale da sombra da mortebiblical phrase
Spanish valle de sombra de muerte
  • valle de sombra de muertebiblical phrase
Swedish dödsskuggans dal
  • dödsskuggans dalbiblical phrase
Cite this entry
APA

valley of the shadow of death. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/valley%20of%20the%20shadow%20of%20death

MLA

“valley of the shadow of death.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/valley%20of%20the%20shadow%20of%20death. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “valley of the shadow of death,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/valley%20of%20the%20shadow%20of%20death.

Source: valley of the shadow of death on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.