רְדִ֣י וּשְׁבִ֣י עַל־עָפָ֗ר בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־בָּבֶ֔ל שְׁבִי־לָאָ֥רֶץ אֵין־כִּסֵּ֖א בַּת־כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים כִּ֣י לֹ֤א תֹוסִ֨יפִי֙ יִקְרְאוּ־לָ֔ךְ רַכָּ֖ה וַעֲנֻגָּֽה׃
“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Bavel; sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of Kasdim. For no more shall they call you tender and delicate.
Morphology
- רְדִי (rǝdi) – Root: ירד; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “come down”; Notes: Command of humiliation or descent from high status.
- וּשְׁבִי (u-shəvi) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “and sit”; Notes: Continues the call to a lower, humbled posture.
- עַל־עָפָר (ʿal-ʿafar) – Root: עפר; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “on the dust”; Notes: Symbolic of mourning and disgrace.
- בְּתוּלַת (bətulat) – Root: בתל; Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “virgin of”; Notes: Title often applied poetically to cities or nations.
- בַּת־בָּבֶל (bat-Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “daughter of Bavel”; Notes: Personification of Babylon as a woman.
- שְׁבִי (shəvi) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular (repeated); Translation: “sit”; Notes: Reinforces the posture of subjection.
- לָאָרֶץ (la-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular definite; Translation: “on the ground”; Notes: Contrasts former throne or exaltation.
- אֵין־כִּסֵּא (ein-kisse) – Root: כּסא; Form: Particle of non-existence + noun masculine singular; Translation: “no throne”; Notes: Denotes loss of royal status.
- בַּת־כַּשְׂדִּים (bat-Kasdim) – Root: כשׂד; Form: Construct noun + proper noun plural; Translation: “daughter of Kasdim”; Notes: Another poetic title for Babylon.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason or explanation.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- תֹוסִיפִי (tosifi) – Root: יסף; Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you shall continue” or “you shall again”; Notes: Indicates cessation of former status.
- יִקְרְאוּ־לָךְ (yiqreʾu-lakh) – Root: קרא; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + prepositional suffix; Translation: “they shall call you”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s former flattering titles.
- רַכָּה (rakkah) – Root: רכך; Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “tender”; Notes: Once used as a title of endearment.
- וַעֲנֻגָּה (vaʿanuggah) – Root: ענג; Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “and delicate”; Notes: Describes luxury and pampered condition now lost.