מַשָּׂ֖א דּוּמָ֑ה אֵלַי֙ קֹרֵ֣א מִשֵּׂעִ֔יר שֹׁמֵר֙ מַה־מִלַּ֔יְלָה שֹׁמֵ֖ר מַה־מִלֵּֽיל׃
A burden of Duma. Unto me one calls from Seʿir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
Morphology
- מַשָּׂ֖א (massa) – Root: נשא (nasa); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “burden”; Notes: Often introduces a prophetic oracle, typically of judgment.
- דּוּמָ֑ה (Dumah) – Root: דמה (damah); Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Dumah”; Notes: Possibly an Edomite tribe or symbolic name meaning “silence.”
- אֵלַי֙ (elai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “unto me”; Notes: Indicates the prophet is the recipient of the call.
- קֹרֵ֣א (qore) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “one calls”; Notes: Describes the ongoing or active call directed to the prophet.
- מִשֵּׂעִ֔יר (mi-Seʿir) – Root: שעיר (Seʿir); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “from Seʿir”; Notes: Region associated with Edom, representing non-Israelite voice or concern.
- שֹׁמֵר֙ (shomer) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “Watchman”; Notes: Vocative—refers to the prophetic figure on duty.
- מַה־מִלַּ֔יְלָה (mah-millaylah) – Root: מה (mah) + ליל (laylah); Form: Interrogative + noun feminine singular; Translation: “what of the night?”; Notes: An inquiry about the meaning, progress, or end of the night—symbolic of distress or danger.
- שֹׁמֵ֖ר (shomer) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular (repeated); Translation: “Watchman”; Notes: Emphasizes urgency or repeated plea.
- מַה־מִלֵּֽיל (mah-milleil) – Root: מה (mah) + ליל (layil); Form: Interrogative + noun masculine or poetic variant of “night”; Translation: “what of the night?”; Notes: Parallel form reinforcing the lament or inquiry—slight variation in poetic structure.