שְׂאוּ֩ לַשָּׁמַ֨יִם עֵֽינֵיכֶ֜ם וְֽהַבִּ֧יטוּ אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ מִתַּ֗חַת כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֜יִם כֶּעָשָׁ֤ן נִמְלָ֨חוּ֙ וְהָאָ֨רֶץ֙ כַּבֶּ֣גֶד תִּבְלֶ֔ה וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ כְּמֹו־כֵ֣ן יְמוּת֑וּן וִישֽׁוּעָתִי֙ לְעֹולָ֣ם תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וְצִדְקָתִ֖י לֹ֥א תֵחָֽת׃ ס
Lift up your eyes to the heavens and look to the earth beneath, for the heavens shall vanish like smoke, and the earth shall wear out like a garment, and those who dwell in it shall die in like manner, but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be dismayed.
Morphology
- שְׂאוּ֩ (seʾu) – Root: נשא (nasa); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Lift up”; Notes: A command to direct vision upward.
- לַשָּׁמַ֨יִם (la-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the heavens”; Notes: Object of the verb “lift up.”
- עֵֽינֵיכֶ֜ם (eineikhem) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun feminine dual + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your eyes”; Notes: Dual form for paired body parts.
- וְֽהַבִּ֧יטוּ (ve-habbitu) – Root: נבט (navat); Form: Hifil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and look”; Notes: Causative form of observing.
- אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ (el-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the earth”; Notes: Parallel command to “look to the heavens.”
- מִתַּ֗חַת (mittaḥat) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Form: Preposition with prefix מִן; Translation: “beneath”; Notes: Indicates position under the observers.
- כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֜יִם (ki-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural; Translation: “for the heavens”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the command.
- כֶּעָשָׁ֤ן (ke-ʿashan) – Root: עשן (ʿashan); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like smoke”; Notes: Image of transience and disappearance.
- נִמְלָ֨חוּ (nimlachu) – Root: מלח (malach); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall vanish”; Notes: Rare root, possibly “dispersed” or “dissolved”; passive voice.
- וְהָאָ֨רֶץ (ve-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Conjunction + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the earth”; Notes: New clause parallel to “the heavens.”
- כַּבֶּ֣גֶד (ka-beged) – Root: בגד (beged); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a garment”; Notes: Metaphor of wearing out through use.
- תִּבְלֶ֔ה (tivleh) – Root: בלה (balah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall wear out”; Notes: Describes decay and impermanence.
- וְיֹשְׁבֶ֖יהָ (ve-yoshveha) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Conjunction + Qal active participle masculine plural + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and those who dwell in it”; Notes: Refers to inhabitants of the earth.
- כְּמֹו־כֵ֣ן (kemo-khen) – Root: כמו / כן; Form: Comparative particle + adverb; Translation: “in like manner”; Notes: Introduces the parallel fate of the inhabitants.
- יְמוּת֑וּן (yemutun) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall die”; Notes: Describes the mortal fate of the earth’s dwellers.
- וִישֽׁוּעָתִי֙ (vi-yeshuʿatī) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “but my salvation”; Notes: Contrasts with previous mortality and decay.
- לְעֹולָ֣ם (le-ʿolam) – Root: עולם (ʿolam); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “forever”; Notes: Indicates eternal duration.
- תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Refers to the lasting nature of YHWH’s salvation.
- וְצִדְקָתִ֖י (ve-tsidqati) – Root: צדק (tsedeq); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my righteousness”; Notes: Paired with “salvation” as enduring aspects of YHWH’s covenant.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denial of the verb’s action.
- תֵחָֽת (teḥat) – Root: חתת (ḥatat); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be dismayed”; Notes: Passive/stative sense, refers to unwavering stability of YHWH’s righteousness.