הַצִּ֧יבִי לָ֣ךְ צִיֻּנִ֗ים שִׂ֤מִי לָךְ֙ תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים שִׁ֣תִי לִבֵּ֔ךְ לַֽמְסִלָּ֖ה דֶּ֣רֶךְ הָלַכְתְּ שׁ֚וּבִי בְּתוּלַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֻׁ֖בִי אֶל־עָרַ֥יִךְ אֵֽלֶּה׃
“Set up for yourself markers, place for yourself guideposts; set your heart to the highway, the way you went. Return, maiden of Yisraʾel, return to these your cities.
Morphology
- הַצִּיבִי (hatsivi) – Root: נצב; Form: Hiphil imperative 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “Set up”; Notes: Command to erect or establish, addressed to the feminine singular (Yisraʾel personified).
- לָךְ (lakh) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “for yourself”; Notes: Indicates personal benefit.
- צִיֻּנִים (tsiyyunim) – Root: צין; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “markers”; Notes: Refers to signposts or monuments marking a route.
- שִׂמִי (simi) – Root: שׂים; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “place”; Notes: Parallel command to the previous imperative.
- לָךְ (lakh) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “for yourself”; Notes: Repetition stresses personal responsibility.
- תַּמְרוּרִים (tamrurim) – Root: מרר; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “guideposts”; Notes: Literally “bitter things” but in context refers to directional signs or warnings.
- שִׁתִי (shiti) – Root: שׁית; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “set”; Notes: Directs to fix one’s attention or will.
- לִבֵּךְ (libbekh) – Root: לבב; Form: Noun masculine singular with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Represents the seat of thought and intention.
- לַמְסִלָּה (la-mesillah) – Root: מסל; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the highway”; Notes: Refers to a raised or established road.
- דֶּרֶךְ (derekh) – Root: דרך; Form: Noun common feminine singular; Translation: “way”; Notes: Refers to a traveled path or route.
- הָלַכְתְּ (halakht) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you went”; Notes: Refers to her previous journey.
- שׁוּבִי (shuvi) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “return”; Notes: A call to repentance or restoration.
- בְּתוּלַת (betulat) – Root: בתל; Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “maiden of”; Notes: A poetic epithet for Yisraʾel, emphasizing purity or covenant identity.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the covenant people.
- שֻׁבִי (shuvi) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “return”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- אֶל־עָרַיִךְ (el-ʿarayikh) – Root: עיר; Form: Preposition + plural noun feminine construct with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “to your cities”; Notes: Indicates the destination of return.
- אֵלֶּה (elleh) – Root: אלה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun plural common; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the cities just mentioned.