They are archaic third-person singular forms of "give" and "take". The modern equivalents are gives and takes. The widely-used King James Version of the Bible uses these forms extensively, including in the book of Job, where you can find the origin of Waits's phrase (though with a mix of tenses).What does "giveth" and "taketh " mean here?
What do "giveth" and "taketh " mean here?
Yes. Waits was riffing on the King James line "The Lord hath given and the Lord taketh away."
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