כִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפֹּ֣ור לְפָנֶ֡יךָ בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְ בְּכָל־עֵ֣ץ אֹ֣ו עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶפְרֹחִים֙ אֹ֣ו בֵיצִ֔ים וְהָאֵ֤ם רֹבֶ֨צֶת֙ עַל־הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔ים אֹ֖ו עַל־הַבֵּיצִ֑ים לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח הָאֵ֖ם עַל־הַבָּנִֽים׃
If a bird’s nest happens to be before you on the way, in any tree or on the ground, with chicks or eggs, and the mother is sitting on the chicks or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.
Morphology
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “If”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- יִקָּרֵ֣א (yiqare) – Root: קרה (qarah); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “happens to be”; Notes: Indicates occurrence by chance.
- קַן־צִפֹּ֣ור (qan-tzipor) – Root: קן (qan) + צפור (tzipor); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “a bird’s nest”; Notes: The subject of the condition.
- לְפָנֶ֡יךָ (lefanekha) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition + noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates proximity.
- בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְ (ba-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “on the way”; Notes: Specifies location.
- בְּכָל־עֵ֣ץ (bekhol-etz) – Root: עץ (etz); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “in any tree”; Notes: Expands the location.
- אֹ֣ו עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ (o al-haaretz) – Root: ארץ (eretz); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “or on the ground”; Notes: Alternative location.
- אֶפְרֹחִים֙ (efroḥim) – Root: אפרח (efroaḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “chicks”; Notes: Specifies the contents of the nest.
- אֹ֣ו בֵיצִ֔ים (o beitzim) – Root: ביצה (beitza); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural; Translation: “or eggs”; Notes: Alternative contents.
- וְהָאֵ֤ם (ve-ha’em) – Root: אם (em); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “and the mother”; Notes: Subject of the next clause.
- רֹבֶ֨צֶת֙ (rovezet) – Root: רבץ (ravaṣ); Form: Qal active participle feminine singular; Translation: “is sitting”; Notes: Describes the mother bird’s action.
- עַל־הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔ים (al-haefroḥim) – Root: אפרח (efroaḥ); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “on the chicks”; Notes: Location of the mother bird.
- אֹ֖ו עַל־הַבֵּיצִ֑ים (o al-habeitzim) – Root: ביצה (beitza); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine plural with definite article; Translation: “or on the eggs”; Notes: Alternative location.
- לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח (lo tiqaḥ) – Root: לקח (lakaḥ); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall not take”; Notes: Direct prohibition.
- הָאֵ֖ם (ha’em) – Root: אם (em); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the mother”; Notes: Object of the prohibition.
- עַל־הַבָּנִֽים (al-habanim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “with the young”; Notes: Clarifies the ethical constraint.