וְאִם־לֹ֣א תוּכְלוּ֮ לְהַגִּ֣יד לִי֒ וּנְתַתֶּ֨ם אַתֶּ֥ם לִי֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים סְדִינִ֔ים וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים חֲלִיפֹ֣ות בְּגָדִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לֹ֔ו ח֥וּדָה חִידָתְךָ֖ וְנִשְׁמָעֶֽנָּה׃
But if you are not able to declare it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.” And they said to him, “Propose your riddle, and we will hear it.”
Morphology
- וְאִם־לֹ֣א (ve-im-lo) – Root: אם (im) + לא (lo); Form: Conjunction with negation; Translation: “But if not”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- תוּכְלוּ֮ (tuchlu) – Root: יכול (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you are able”; Notes: Indicates capability.
- לְהַגִּ֣יד (le-haggid) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to declare”; Notes: Expresses causation.
- לִי֒ (li) – Root: ל (l) + י (i); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Specifies the recipient.
- וּנְתַתֶּ֨ם (u-netattem) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “then you shall give”; Notes: Sequential action.
- אַתֶּ֥ם (atem) – Root: אתם (atem); Form: Pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphasizes subject.
- לִי֙ (li) – Root: ל (l) + י (i); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Specifies the recipient.
- שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים (sheloshim) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “thirty”; Notes: Indicates quantity.
- סְדִינִ֔ים (sedinim) – Root: סדן (sedan); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “linen garments”; Notes: Fine clothing.
- וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים (ushloshim) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “and thirty”; Notes: Additional count of garments.
- חֲלִיפֹ֣ות (ḥalifot) – Root: חלף (ḥalaf); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “changes”; Notes: Indicates different sets of clothing.
- בְּגָדִ֑ים (begadim) – Root: בגד (beged); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “clothes”; Notes: Complements the previous noun.
- וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ (vayomeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Standard narrative form.
- לֹ֔ו (lo) – Root: ל (l) + ו (o); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Shimshon.
- ח֥וּדָה (ḥudah) – Root: חוד (ḥud); Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Propose”; Notes: A command.
- חִידָתְךָ֖ (ḥidatekha) – Root: חוד (ḥud); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your riddle”; Notes: Direct object.
- וְנִשְׁמָעֶֽנָּה (venishma’ennah) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Nifal cohortative 1st person plural with energic nun; Translation: “and we will hear it”; Notes: Expresses intent.