צפו עִוְרִ֤ים כֻּלָּם֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ כֻּלָּם֙ כְּלָבִ֣ים אִלְּמִ֔ים לֹ֥א יוּכְל֖וּ לִנְבֹּ֑חַ הֹזִים֙ שֹֽׁכְבִ֔ים אֹהֲבֵ֖י לָנֽוּם׃
Watchmen, all of them are blind, they do not know; all of them are mute dogs, they cannot bark, dreamers lying down, lovers of slumber.
Morphology
- צפו (tsafu) – Root: צפה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural or imperative masculine plural (contextually uncertain); Translation: “Watchmen” or “They watch”; Notes: Taken here as a noun or possibly verbal irony; context identifies them as those who are supposed to see.
- עִוְרִ֤ים (ʿivrim) – Root: עור; Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “blind”; Notes: Describes their spiritual or prophetic blindness.
- כֻּלָּם֙ (kullam) – Root: כל; Form: Noun masculine singular in construct + 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “all of them”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Introduces negation.
- יָדָ֔עוּ (yadaʿu) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they knew”; Notes: Indicates their lack of true understanding or insight.
- כְּלָבִ֣ים (kelavim) – Root: כלב; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “dogs”; Notes: Symbolic of guardians or prophets, here sarcastically.
- אִלְּמִ֔ים (illemim) – Root: אלם; Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “mute”; Notes: Unable to speak, ineffective as watchmen.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Continues negation of their capacity.
- יוּכְל֖וּ (yukhelu) – Root: יכל; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they are able”; Notes: Typically used for capability or potential.
- לִנְבֹּ֑חַ (linboaḥ) – Root: נבח; Form: Infinitive construct with לְ; Translation: “to bark”; Notes: Emphasizes their failure to warn or speak out.
- הֹזִים֙ (hozim) – Root: חזה; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “dreamers” or “seers”; Notes: Ironic term—supposed to see visions but inactive.
- שֹׁכְבִ֔ים (shokhvim) – Root: שכב; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “lying down”; Notes: Portrays laziness and neglect of duty.
- אֹהֲבֵ֖י (ʾohavei) – Root: אהב; Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “lovers of”; Notes: Indicates strong preference or attachment.
- לָנֽוּם (lanum) – Root: נום; Form: Infinitive construct with לְ; Translation: “to slumber”; Notes: Slumber is symbolic of spiritual complacency.