אֵ֣יךְ תֹּאמְרִ֞י לֹ֣א נִטְמֵ֗אתִי אַחֲרֵ֤י הַבְּעָלִים֙ לֹ֣א הָלַ֔כְתִּי רְאִ֤י דַרְכֵּךְ֙ בַּגַּ֔יְא דְּעִ֖י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑ית בִּכְרָ֥ה קַלָּ֖ה מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת דְּרָכֶֽיהָ׃
How can you say, “I have not been defiled, after the Baʿalim I have not walked”? Look at your way in the valley, know what you have done! A swift young female camel winding her ways.
Morphology
- אֵ֣יךְ (ʾekh) – Root: איך (ʾekh); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “How”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question or disbelief.
- תֹּאמְרִ֞י (toʾmri) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “can you say”; Notes: Continues the rhetorical force of the verse.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb following it.
- נִטְמֵ֗אתִי (nitmeʾti) – Root: טמא (ṭamaʾ); Form: Niphal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have been defiled”; Notes: Passive voice, indicating ritual or moral defilement.
- אַחֲרֵ֤י (ʾaḥarei) – Root: אחר (ʾaḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Marks pursuit or allegiance.
- הַבְּעָלִים (ha-beʿalim) – Root: בעל (baʿal); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the Baʿalim”; Notes: Refers to foreign gods or lords, often associated with idolatry.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Continues the denial of past actions.
- הָלַ֔כְתִּי (halakhti) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have walked”; Notes: Describes personal conduct.
- רְאִ֤י (reʾi) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “Look”; Notes: Imperative command to observe or consider.
- דַרְכֵּךְ (darkekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun feminine singular in construct + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “your way”; Notes: Refers to conduct or behavior.
- בַּגַּ֔יְא (ba-gayʾ) – Root: גיא (gayʾ); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the valley”; Notes: Likely referencing a cultic or symbolic location.
- דְּעִ֖י (deʿi) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “know”; Notes: Command to recognize or become aware of.
- מֶ֣ה (meh) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “what”; Notes: Introduces an object of knowledge or action.
- עָשִׂ֑ית (ʿasit) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you have done”; Notes: Addresses the listener directly with accusation or evidence.
- בִּכְרָ֥ה (bikrah) – Root: בכר (bakar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “young female camel”; Notes: Symbol of restlessness or impulsiveness.
- קַלָּ֖ה (qallah) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “swift”; Notes: Describes impulsive, light movement.
- מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת (mesareket) – Root: שרק (saraq); Form: Piel participle feminine singular; Translation: “winding”; Notes: Denotes weaving or twisting motion.
- דְּרָכֶֽיהָ (derakheha) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun feminine plural with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her ways”; Notes: Refers to the paths or behaviors of the metaphorical figure.