Most commonly translated as “humiliation”, תַּעֲנִית taniyth (H8589) means to be bowed down or humbled by fasting and comes from the word עָנָה anah (H6031) which means to afflict, oppress, humble, be afflicted, be bowed down. Both תַּעֲנִית taniyth and עָנָה anah come from the root word עָן an which means “to watch” in the sense of the furrow formed between the eyes when intently looking at something (as in conjuring, sorcery, soothsaying, enchanting — see עָנַן anan H6049) or from depression or afflicted. The Hebrew word עָנָן anan (H6050, H6051) means “cloud” as in watching clouds to tell the weather.
