הֹ֣וי בֹּנֶ֤ה בֵיתֹו֙ בְּֽלֹא־צֶ֔דֶק וַעֲלִיֹּותָ֖יו בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֑ט בְּרֵעֵ֨הוּ֙ יַעֲבֹ֣ד חִנָּ֔ם וּפֹעֲלֹ֖ו לֹ֥א יִתֶּן־לֹֽו׃
“Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his fellow serve for nothing and does not give him his wages.
Morphology
- הֹ֣וי (hoy) – Root: הוי; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Woe”; Notes: A prophetic cry of lament or denunciation.
- בֹּנֶ֤ה (boneh) – Root: בנה; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “one who builds”; Notes: Describes continuous or characteristic action.
- בֵיתֹו֙ (veito) – Root: בית; Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his house”; Notes: Refers to one’s personal residence or domain.
- בְּֽלֹא־צֶ֔דֶק (belo-tsedeq) – Root: לא, צדק; Form: Preposition + negative + noun masculine singular; Translation: “without righteousness”; Notes: Indicates moral or ethical violation in construction.
- וַעֲלִיֹּותָ֖יו (vaʿaliyyotav) – Root: עלה; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his upper rooms”; Notes: Refers to the elevated parts of the house, often symbolic of status or luxury.
- בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֑ט (belo-mishpat) – Root: לא, שפט; Form: Preposition + negative + noun masculine singular; Translation: “without justice”; Notes: Further describes corruption in the builder’s actions.
- בְּרֵעֵ֨הוּ֙ (be-reʿehu) – Root: רעה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his fellow”; Notes: Refers to a social equal or neighbor.
- יַעֲבֹ֣ד (yaʿavod) – Root: עבד; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he makes serve”; Notes: Refers to exploitation or forced labor.
- חִנָּ֔ם (ḥinnam) – Root: חנם; Form: Adverb; Translation: “for nothing”; Notes: Indicates without compensation.
- וּפֹעֲלֹ֖ו (u-foʿalo) – Root: פעל; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his labor”; Notes: Refers to the work done by the exploited person.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb that follows.
- יִתֶּן־לֹֽו (yitten-lo) – Root: נתן; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “he gives him”; Notes: Refers to withholding of rightful wages.