לָ֠כֵן יַ֣עַן בֹּושַׁסְכֶ֞ם עַל־דָּ֗ל וּמַשְׂאַת־בַּר֙ תִּקְח֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ בָּתֵּ֥י גָזִ֛ית בְּנִיתֶ֖ם וְלֹא־תֵ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֑ם כַּרְמֵי־חֶ֣מֶד נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִשְׁתּ֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָֽם׃
Therefore, because you trample upon the poor and take from him a tribute of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
Morphology
- לָכֵן (lakhen) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Preposition + adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces the consequence of the preceding actions or sins.
- יַעַן (yaʿan) – Root: ען (ʿanah); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Establishes causal reasoning for divine retribution.
- בֹּושַׁסְכֶם (boshaskhem) – Root: בּשׁס (bashas); Form: Piel perfect 2nd person masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you trample upon”; Notes: Conveys violent oppression or exploitation of the poor.
- עַל־דָּל (ʿal-dal) – Root: דלל (dalal); Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “upon the poor”; Notes: The oppressed or defenseless person who is mistreated by the wealthy.
- וּמַשְׂאַת־בַּר (u-masʾat-bar) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ) and בר (bar); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and a tribute of grain”; Notes: Refers to unjust taxes or dues taken from agricultural produce.
- תִּקְחוּ (tiqḥu) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you take”; Notes: Describes continuous exploitation—taking from the poor unjustly.
- מִמֶּנּוּ (mimmenhu) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition מִן + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “from him”; Notes: Indicates the source of the unjustly seized tribute.
- בָּתֵּי (battei) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “houses of”; Notes: Refers to luxurious dwellings built by unjust gain.
- גָזִית (gazit) – Root: גזז (gazaz); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “hewn stone”; Notes: Describes finely cut stone used in elite construction projects.
- בְּנִיתֶם (benitem) – Root: בנה (banah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have built”; Notes: Refers to completed acts of self-enrichment through oppression.
- וְלֹא־תֵשְׁבוּ (ve-lo-teshevu) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “but you shall not dwell”; Notes: Expresses divine judgment—loss of enjoyment of unjust gain.
- בָם (bam) – Root: —; Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “in them”; Notes: Refers to the very houses they have built for themselves.
- כַּרְמֵי־ (karmei) – Root: כרם (kerem); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “vineyards of”; Notes: Symbolizes prosperity and luxury derived from exploitation.
- חֶמֶד (ḥemed) – Root: חמד (ḥamad); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “delight” or “pleasantness”; Notes: Describes desirable, luxurious vineyards.
- נְטַעְתֶּם (netaʿtem) – Root: נטע (nataʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have planted”; Notes: Illustrates the fruit of unjust labor now to be lost in judgment.
- וְלֹא־תִשְׁתּוּ (ve-lo-tishtu) – Root: שׁתה (shatah); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “but you shall not drink”; Notes: Echoes the curse motif—enjoyment of produce denied by divine justice.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Definite direct object marker; Translation: “—”; Notes: Marks the object “their wine.”
- יֵינָם (yeinam) – Root: יין (yayin); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their wine”; Notes: Symbol of enjoyment and reward, here withheld as retribution.