הֹ֥וי הַמִּתְאַוִּ֖ים אֶת־יֹ֣ום יְהוָ֑ה לָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם יֹ֥ום יְהוָ֖ה הוּא־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֹֽור׃
Woe to those who long for the day of YHWH! Why would you desire the day of YHWH? It is darkness and not light.
Morphology
- הֹוי (hoy) – Root: —; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Woe”; Notes: Prophetic lament or warning introducing a pronouncement of judgment.
- הַמִּתְאַוִּים (ha-mitʾavvim) – Root: אוה (ʾavah); Form: Definite article הַ + Hitpael participle masculine plural; Translation: “those who long for” or “those who desire”; Notes: Denotes an intense or misguided yearning for YHWH’s intervention.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks “the day of YHWH” as the object of longing.
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Refers to a time of divine intervention or judgment.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God; the “day of YHWH” signifies His decisive judgment.
- לָמָּה־זֶּה (lammah-zeh) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative particle + demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “Why this?” or “Why would you?”; Notes: Rhetorical question expressing rebuke for misunderstanding divine judgment.
- לָכֶם (lakhem) – Root: אתם (ʾatem); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indicates direct address to the misguided audience.
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes the object of misplaced expectation.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repetition strengthens the solemn tone of divine warning.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: הוא (huʾ); Form: Pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “it is”; Notes: Refers back to the “day of YHWH.”
- חֹשֶׁךְ (ḥoshekh) – Root: חשׁך (ḥashakh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “darkness”; Notes: Symbol of calamity, judgment, and divine wrath.
- וְלֹא־ (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Denies the false expectation of light or deliverance.
- אֹור (ʾor) – Root: אור (ʾor); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “light”; Notes: Represents salvation, truth, or blessing—here negated to stress judgment’s severity.