מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הֶֽחָכָם֙ וְיָבֵ֣ן אֶת־זֹ֔את וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר פִּֽי־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו וְיַגִּדָ֑הּ עַל־מָה֙ אָבְדָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ נִצְּתָ֥ה כַמִּדְבָּ֖ר מִבְּלִ֖י עֹבֵֽר׃ ס
Who is the wise man that may understand this, and to whom the mouth of YHWH has spoken, that he may declare it—why has the land perished, been burned like the wilderness, without one passing through?
Morphology
- מִי (mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Who”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question seeking a wise interpreter.
- הָאִישׁ (ha-ish) – Root: אנש (ish); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the man”; Notes: Specifies the subject of the question.
- הֶחָכָם (he-ḥakham) – Root: חכם (ḥakham); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the wise”; Notes: Qualifies the man being sought—wise in understanding divine things.
- וְיָבֵן (ve-yaven) – Root: בין (bin); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and may understand”; Notes: Expresses potential or subjunctive idea.
- אֶת־זֹאת (et-zot) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Direct object marker + demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the mystery or message in question.
- וַאֲשֶׁר (va-asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and to whom”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- דִּבֶּר (dibber) – Root: דבר (diber); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has spoken”; Notes: Intensive form; YHWH actively addressing someone.
- פִּי־יְהוָה (pi-YHWH) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Construct noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “the mouth of YHWH”; Notes: Anthropomorphism representing YHWH’s word or revelation.
- אֵלָיו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Object of divine speech.
- וְיַגִּדָהּ (ve-yaggidah) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with paragogic he; Translation: “that he may declare it”; Notes: Expresses purpose or result of receiving YHWH’s message.
- עַל־מָה (ʿal-mah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Preposition + interrogative pronoun; Translation: “why”; Notes: Introduces the central question of the oracle.
- אָבְדָה (ʾavdah) – Root: אבד (ʾavad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has perished”; Notes: Refers to the land’s destruction.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾaretz); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Subject of the question—why the land was ruined.
- נִצְּתָה (nitsʿetah) – Root: נצה (natsa); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has been burned”; Notes: Passive voice conveying divine judgment.
- כַמִּדְבָּר (ka-midbar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “like the wilderness”; Notes: Simile emphasizing desolation.
- מִבְּלִי (mi-beli) – Root: בל״י (beli); Form: Preposition + negative particle; Translation: “without”; Notes: Marks absence of human presence.
- עֹבֵר (ʿover) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “passing through”; Notes: Emphasizes complete abandonment.