וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תִשְׁמָע֔וּהָ בְּמִסְתָּרִ֥ים תִּבְכֶּֽה־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִפְּנֵ֣י גֵוָ֑ה וְדָמֹ֨עַ תִּדְמַ֜ע וְתֵרַ֤ד עֵינִי֙ דִּמְעָ֔ה כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה עֵ֥דֶר יְהוָֽה׃ ס
But if you will not listen, my soul shall weep in secret places because of pride, and my eye shall weep bitterly and flow with tears, for the flock of YHWH has been taken captive.
Morphology
- וְאִם֙ (ve-im) – Root: אם; Form: Conjunction + conditional particle; Translation: “But if”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause of consequence.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb that follows.
- תִשְׁמָע֔וּהָ (tishmaʿuha) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “you will listen to it”; Notes: Refers to not heeding the message or voice of YHWH.
- בְּמִסְתָּרִ֥ים (be-mistarim) – Root: סתר; Form: Preposition + plural noun masculine; Translation: “in secret places”; Notes: Suggests hidden mourning or private sorrow.
- תִּבְכֶּֽה־נַפְשִׁ֖י (tivkeh-nafshi) – Root: בכה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular + noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my soul shall weep”; Notes: Expresses deep personal grief.
- מִפְּנֵ֣י (mi-penei) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “because of”; Notes: Introduces the cause of the weeping.
- גֵוָ֑ה (gevah) – Root: גוה; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “pride”; Notes: Symbol of arrogance, often a cause of downfall.
- וְדָמֹ֨עַ (ve-damoaʿ) – Root: דמע; Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “bitterly weeping”; Notes: Emphatic repetition of the weeping idea.
- תִּדְמַ֜ע (tidmaʿ) – Root: דמע; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it shall weep”; Notes: Refers to the eye, personified as crying.
- וְתֵרַ֤ד (ve-terad) – Root: ירד; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it shall flow down”; Notes: Verb describing the tears falling.
- עֵינִי֙ (eini) – Root: עין; Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my eye”; Notes: Subject of the weeping and flowing verbs.
- דִּמְעָ֔ה (dimʿah) – Root: דמע; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “tear”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “shall flow.”
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the lamentation.
- נִשְׁבָּ֖ה (nishbah) – Root: שבה; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has been taken captive”; Notes: Passive form indicating disaster.
- עֵ֥דֶר (ʿeder) – Root: עדר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “flock”; Notes: Symbolic of the people of YHWH.
- יְהוָֽה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Indicates that the people belonging to YHWH are the ones carried away.