אוּלַ֣י יִשְׁמְע֔וּ וְיָשֻׁ֕בוּ אִ֖ישׁ מִדַּרְכֹּ֣ו הָרָעָ֑ה וְנִחַמְתִּ֣י אֶל־הָרָעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֤י חֹשֵׁב֙ לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות לָהֶ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃
Perhaps they will listen, and each man will turn from his evil way, and I will relent concerning the evil that I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’
Morphology
- אוּלַ֣י (ʾulai) – Root: —; Form: Particle; Translation: “Perhaps”; Notes: Expresses hopeful possibility or uncertainty.
- יִשְׁמְע֔וּ (yishmeʿu) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they will listen”; Notes: Anticipates the people’s willingness to hear and respond.
- וְיָשֻׁ֕בוּ (ve-yashuvu) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they will turn”; Notes: Indicates hoped-for repentance.
- אִ֖ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Used idiomatically here as “each man.”
- מִדַּרְכֹּ֣ו (mi-darko) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from his way”; Notes: Indicates personal conduct or behavior.
- הָרָעָ֑ה (ha-raʿah) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Definite adjective feminine singular; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Modifies the “way” as morally corrupt.
- וְנִחַמְתִּ֣י (ve-niḥamti) – Root: נחם (naḥam); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person common singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and I will relent”; Notes: Expresses divine willingness to withhold planned punishment.
- אֶל־הָרָעָ֗ה (el-ha-raʿah) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Preposition אֶל + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “concerning the evil”; Notes: Refers to the judgment or calamity intended.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause explaining the evil action.
- אָנֹכִ֤י (ʾanokhi) – Root: —; Form: Independent personal pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphatic form for divine self-reference.
- חֹשֵׁב֙ (ḥoshev) – Root: חשב (ḥashav); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “am planning”; Notes: Indicates an ongoing or deliberate divine intention.
- לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות (laʿasot) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition לְ; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Complements the participle, expressing the action being considered.
- לָהֶ֔ם (lahem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the people who may repent.
- מִפְּנֵ֖י (mippenei) – Root: פן (panim); Form: Preposition מִן + plural construct; Translation: “because of”; Notes: Denotes causation or motive.
- רֹ֥עַ (roʿaʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Abstract noun describing moral corruption.
- מַעַלְלֵיהֶֽם (maʿalleihem) – Root: עלל (ʿalal); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their deeds”; Notes: Refers to their wicked or corrupt actions.