הִנֵּ֥ה לָאֵ֖שׁ נִתַּ֣ן לְאָכְלָ֑ה אֵת֩ שְׁנֵ֨י קְצֹותָ֜יו אָכְלָ֤ה הָאֵשׁ֙ וְתֹוכֹ֣ו נָחָ֔ר הֲיִצְלַ֖ח לִמְלָאכָֽה׃
Behold, it is given to the fire for consumption, its two ends the fire has consumed, and its middle is charred. Will it prosper for work?
Morphology
- הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Root: נה (deictic particle); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Introduces attention to the condition of the vine wood.
- לָאֵשׁ (la-ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ; Form: Preposition ל + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the fire”; Notes: Marks the dative of purpose, “given to the fire.”
- נִתַּן (nittan) – Root: נתן; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “it is given”; Notes: Passive voice, the wood being consigned to fire.
- לְאָכְלָה (leʾokhlah) – Root: אכל; Form: Preposition ל + noun feminine singular (infinitive-like); Translation: “for consumption”; Notes: Indicates the purpose of being given to fire.
- אֵת (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [untranslated particle]; Notes: Marks “its two ends” as the object of the verb “consumed.”
- שְׁנֵי (shenei) – Root: שׁנים; Form: Dual construct masculine; Translation: “two of”; Notes: Construct state governing “ends.”
- קְצֹותָיו (qetsotav) – Root: קצה; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “its ends”; Notes: Refers to the extremities of the vine wood.
- אָכְלָה (ʾakhlah) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she/it consumed”; Notes: Feminine subject is “the fire.”
- הָאֵשׁ (ha-ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ; Form: Noun feminine singular definite; Translation: “the fire”; Notes: The consuming agent, repeated for emphasis.
- וְתֹוכֹו (ve-tocho) – Root: תוך; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and its middle”; Notes: Adds the central part of the wood to the description.
- נָחָר (naḥar) – Root: נחר; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “is charred”; Notes: Passive state describing the burned condition.
- הֲיִצְלַח (ha-yitslaḥ) – Root: צלח; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular with interrogative הֲ; Translation: “will it prosper / succeed”; Notes: Rhetorical question about usefulness.
- לִמְלָאכָה (limelakhah) – Root: מלאך (semantic root: מלאכה); Form: Preposition ל + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “for work”; Notes: Concludes the verse with a question of utility, stressing the futility of the charred vine wood.