לַ֤יְלָה וְיֹומָם֙ לֹ֣א תִכְבֶּ֔ה לְעֹולָ֖ם יַעֲלֶ֣ה עֲשָׁנָ֑הּ מִדֹּ֤ור לָדֹור֙ תֶּחֱרָ֔ב לְנֵ֣צַח נְצָחִ֔ים אֵ֥ין עֹבֵ֖ר בָּֽהּ׃
Night and day it shall not be quenched; forever its smoke shall ascend. From generation to generation it shall lie desolate; forever and ever none shall pass through it.
Morphology
- לַ֤יְלָה (la-yelah) – Root: לילה; Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition ל; Translation: “night”; Notes: Emphasizes the duration of judgment, beginning with night.
- וְיֹומָם֙ (ve-yomam) – Root: יום; Form: Noun masculine singular (adverbial use); Translation: “and day”; Notes: Often paired with לילה to express continuous time.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- תִכְבֶּ֔ה (tikbeh) – Root: כבה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it shall be quenched”; Notes: Refers to the unquenchable burning.
- לְעֹולָ֖ם (le-ʿolam) – Root: עולם; Form: Preposition ל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “forever”; Notes: Indicates the duration of the punishment.
- יַעֲלֶ֣ה (yaʿaleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall ascend”; Notes: Refers to the continual rising of smoke.
- עֲשָׁנָ֑הּ (ʿashanah) – Root: עשן; Form: Noun masculine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “its smoke”; Notes: Refers to the smoke of the land (feminine).
- מִדֹּ֤ור (mi-dor) – Root: דור; Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition מ; Translation: “from generation”; Notes: Idiomatic expression “from generation to generation.”
- לָדֹור֙ (la-dor) – Root: דור; Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition ל; Translation: “to generation”; Notes: Completes the idiomatic phrase of continuity.
- תֶּחֱרָ֔ב (teḥerav) – Root: חרב; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it shall be desolate”; Notes: Refers to the land (feminine) remaining ruined.
- לְנֵ֣צַח (le-netsaḥ) – Root: נצח; Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition ל; Translation: “forever”; Notes: Used poetically for perpetuity.
- נְצָחִ֔ים (netsaḥim) – Root: נצח; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “ever and ever”; Notes: Reinforces eternal nature of desolation.
- אֵ֥ין (ein) – Root: אין; Form: Particle of nonexistence; Translation: “there is not”; Notes: Used with participles to negate action.
- עֹבֵ֖ר (ʿover) – Root: עבר; Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “one passing through”; Notes: Indicates ongoing or habitual action.
- בָּֽהּ (bah) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition ב + third feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers back to the land being judged.