פֶּ֣רֶה לִמֻּ֣ד מִדְבָּ֗ר בְּאַוַּ֤ת נַפְשֹׁו֙ שָׁאֲפָ֣ה ר֔וּחַ תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ מִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה כָּל־מְבַקְשֶׁ֨יהָ֙ לֹ֣א יִיעָ֔פוּ בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ׃
A wild donkey used to the wilderness, in the desire of his soul he sniffed the wind; in her lust, who can turn her back? All who seek her do not grow weary; in her month they will find her.
Morphology
- פֶּ֣רֶה (pereh) – Root: פרא (paraʾ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “wild donkey”; Notes: Symbol of untamed, impulsive behavior.
- לִמֻּ֣ד (limmud) – Root: למד (lamad); Form: Pual passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “accustomed”; Notes: Implies habitual familiarity, especially with the wilderness.
- מִדְבָּ֗ר (midbar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “wilderness”; Notes: Desolate land, emphasizing wildness and isolation.
- בְּאַוַּ֤ת (be-avat) – Root: אוה (avah); Form: Preposition בְּ + construct noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the desire of”; Notes: Construct form indicating inner craving.
- נַפְשֹׁו (nafsho) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his soul”; Notes: Represents inner being, appetite, or self.
- שָׁאֲפָ֣ה (shaʾafah) – Root: שאף (shaʾaf); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “she sniffed”; Notes: Conveys an instinctive seeking or panting after something.
- רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח (ruaḥ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “wind”; Notes: Often symbolizes direction, spirit, or desire.
- תַּאֲנָתָהּ (taʾanatah) – Root: אנן or תאן (possibly taʾan or taʾanah); Form: Noun feminine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her desire” or “her lust”; Notes: Contextually refers to heat or mating urge.
- מִ֣י (mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question of impossibility.
- יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה (yeshivennah) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “will turn her back”; Notes: Indicates causative action of reversal or return.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “all”; Notes: Introduces the subject group seeking her.
- מְבַקְשֶׁ֨יהָ (mevaqsheha) – Root: בקשׁ (baqash); Form: Piel participle masculine plural with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “those who seek her”; Notes: Indicates ongoing action or pursuit.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the verb following.
- יִיעָ֔פוּ (yiyyaʿafu) – Root: יעף (yaʿaf); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “will grow weary”; Notes: Nifal passive voice, indicating lack of exhaustion.
- בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ (be-ḥodshah) – Root: חדשׁ (ḥodesh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her month”; Notes: May imply mating season or time of heat.
- יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ (yimtsaʾuneha) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “they will find her”; Notes: Affirms the inevitability of her being located during her season.