אַל־נָ֣א יָשִׂ֣ים אֲדֹנִ֣י אֶת־לִבֹּ֡ו אֶל־אִישׁ֩ הַבְּלִיַּ֨עַל הַזֶּ֜ה עַל־נָבָ֗ל כִּ֤י כִשְׁמֹו֙ כֶּן־ה֔וּא נָבָ֣ל שְׁמֹ֔ו וּנְבָלָ֖ה עִמֹּ֑ו וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ לֹ֥א רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־נַעֲרֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁלָֽחְתָּ׃
Let not my lord set his heart against this worthless man, against Naval, for as his name is, so is he—Naval is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your servant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.
Morphology
- אַל־נָ֣א (ʾal-na) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative particle + particle of entreaty; Translation: “Let not”; Notes: A plea.
- יָשִׂ֣ים (yasim) – Root: שים (sim); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “set”; Notes: Refers to attention.
- אֲדֹנִ֣י (ʾadoni) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Addressing Dawid.
- אֶת־לִבֹּ֡ו (et-libbo) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his heart”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s emotions.
- אֶל־אִישׁ֩ (el-ish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “against this man”; Notes: Referring to Naval.
- הַבְּלִיַּ֨עַל (ha-beliyaʿal) – Root: בליעל (beliyaʿal); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “worthless”; Notes: A term for wickedness.
- הַזֶּ֜ה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Emphasizing the person.
- עַל־נָבָ֗ל (ʿal-Naval) – Root: נבל (Naval); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “against Naval”; Notes: Name and object of criticism.
- כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces explanation.
- כִשְׁמֹו֙ (kishmo) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + pronoun suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “as his name is”; Notes: Compares name to character.
- כֶּן־ה֔וּא (ken-hu) – Root: כן (ken), הוא (hu); Form: Adverb + pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “so is he”; Notes: Expresses equivalence.
- נָבָ֣ל (Naval) – Root: נבל (Naval); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Naval”; Notes: His name, meaning “fool.”
- שְׁמֹ֔ו (shmo) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “is his name”; Notes: Reinforces identity.
- וּנְבָלָ֖ה (unevalah) – Root: נבל (naval); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “and folly”; Notes: Wordplay on his name.
- עִמֹּ֑ו (ʿimmo) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “is with him”; Notes: Describes his character.
- וַֽאֲנִי֙ (vaʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “but I”; Notes: Contrasts Avigayil from Naval.
- אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ (amatekha) – Root: אמה (ʾamah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant”; Notes: Avigayil speaks humbly.
- לֹ֥א רָאִ֛יתִי (lo raʾiti) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I did not see”; Notes: Avigayil claims ignorance.
- אֶת־נַעֲרֵ֥י (et-naʿarei) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the young men of”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s messengers.
- אֲדֹנִ֖י (ʾadoni) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Addressing Dawid.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁלָֽחְתָּ (asher shalaḥta) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “whom you sent”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s messengers.