יָדַ֣עְתִּי יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֛י לֹ֥א לָאָדָ֖ם דַּרְכֹּ֑ו לֹֽא־לְאִ֣ישׁ הֹלֵ֔ךְ וְהָכִ֖ין אֶֽת־צַעֲדֹֽו׃
I know, O YHWH, that a man’s way is not his own; it is not for a man who walks to direct his steps.
Morphology
- יָדַ֣עְתִּי (yadaʿti) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I know”; Notes: Declarative introduction asserting knowledge.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: היה; Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “O YHWH”; Notes: Vocative address to the LORD.
- כִּ֛י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the content of the knowledge.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denotes negation.
- לָאָדָ֖ם (laʾadam) – Root: אדם; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for man”; Notes: Dative, indicating who the subject applies to.
- דַּרְכֹּ֑ו (darko) – Root: דרך; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3ms suffix; Translation: “his way”; Notes: Refers to a person’s path or conduct.
- לֹֽא־ (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Repeats and intensifies the negation.
- לְאִ֣ישׁ (leʾish) – Root: איש; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a man”; Notes: Parallel to “to man” above, reinforcing human inability.
- הֹלֵ֔ךְ (holekh) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “who walks”; Notes: Describes someone in motion or living life.
- וְהָכִ֖ין (ve-hakhin) – Root: כון; Form: Conjunction + Hiphil infinitive construct; Translation: “to direct”; Notes: Hiphil stem indicates causative: “to cause to be firm or established.”
- אֶֽת־צַעֲדֹֽו (et–tsaʿado) – Root: צעד; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine plural with 3ms suffix; Translation: “his steps”; Notes: The object of the action “to direct.”