לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־שֹׂ֣נְאֶ֔יךָ וְלִשְׂנֹ֖א אֶת־אֹהֲבֶ֑יךָ כִּ֣י הִגַּ֣דְתָּ הַיֹּ֗ום כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין לְךָ֙ שָׂרִ֣ים וַעֲבָדִ֔ים כִּ֣י יָדַ֣עְתִּי הַיֹּ֗ום כִּ֠י לֹא אַבְשָׁלֹ֥ום חַי֙ וְכֻלָּ֤נוּ הַיֹּום֙ מֵתִ֔ים כִּי־אָ֖ז יָשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
To love your enemies and to hate your friends, for you have made it clear today that you have neither commanders nor servants. For I know today that if Avshalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then it would be right in your eyes.
Morphology
- לְאַהֲבָה (leʾahavah) – Root: אהב; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to love”; Notes: Purpose or result of the king’s actions.
- אֶת־שֹׂנְאֶיךָ (et-sonʾekha) – Root: שׂנא; Form: Direct object marker + participle masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your enemies”; Notes: Object of “to love.”
- וְלִשְׂנֹא (ve-lisno) – Root: שׂנא; Form: Conjunction + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “and to hate”; Notes: Parallel to the previous infinitive.
- אֶת־אֹהֲבֶיךָ (et-ʾohavekha) – Root: אהב; Form: Direct object marker + participle masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your friends”; Notes: Opposite of the previous object.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a causal clause.
- הִגַּדְתָּ (higgadta) – Root: נגד; Form: Hifil perfect 2nd masculine singular; Translation: “you have made clear”; Notes: Causative verb meaning to declare or reveal.
- הַיֹּום (ha-yom) – Root: יום; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “today”; Notes: Time of declaration.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces content of what was declared.
- אֵין לְךָ (ʾein lekha) – Root: אין; Form: Negative existential + preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “you have not”; Notes: Expression of lack.
- שָׂרִים (sarim) – Root: שר; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “commanders”; Notes: Military or governmental leaders.
- וַעֲבָדִים (vaʿavadim) – Root: עבד; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and servants”; Notes: General reference to loyal subjects or household staff.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces another reason.
- יָדַעְתִּי (yadaʿti) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I know”; Notes: Personal conviction of the speaker (Yoʾav).
- הַיֹּום (ha-yom) – Root: יום; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “today”; Notes: Emphasizes immediacy.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces conditional or factual clause.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the clause.
- אַבְשָׁלֹום חַי (Avshalom ḥai) – Root: אבשלום, חיה; Form: Proper noun + adjective masculine singular; Translation: “Avshalom were alive”; Notes: Hypothetical scenario.
- וְכֻלָּנוּ (ve-khullanu) – Root: כל; Form: Conjunction + pronominal suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “and all of us”; Notes: Collective reference.
- הַיֹּום (ha-yom) – Root: יום; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “today”; Notes: Time of the imagined event.
- מֵתִים (metim) – Root: מות; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “were dead”; Notes: In contrast with Avshalom’s imagined survival.
- כִּי־אָז (ki-ʾaz) – Root: כי, אז; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “then”; Notes: Indicates result or conclusion of hypothetical.
- יָשָׁר (yashar) – Root: ישׁר; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “right”; Notes: What would be pleasing or acceptable.
- בְּעֵינֶיךָ (be-ʿeineikha) – Root: עין; Form: Preposition + noun dual + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Hebrew idiom meaning “in your judgment.”