עַתָּ֕ה לָ֥מָּה תָרִ֖יעִי רֵ֑עַ הֲמֶ֣לֶךְ אֵֽין־בָּ֗ךְ אִֽם־יֹועֲצֵךְ֙ אָבָ֔ד כִּֽי־הֶחֱזִיקֵ֥ךְ חִ֖יל כַּיֹּולֵדָֽה׃
Now why do you cry aloud O evil one is there no king in you has your counselor perished for pain has seized you like a woman giving birth.
Morphology
- עַתָּה (ʿattah) — Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks transition to present crisis.
- לָמָּה (lammah) — Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “why”; Notes: Expresses rebuke or incredulity.
- תָרִיעִי (tariʿi) — Root: רוע (ruaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “do you cry aloud”; Notes: Directed to personified Tsiyyon.
- רֵעַ (reaʿ) — Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “evil one”; Notes: Vocative, expressing distress or corruption.
- הֲמֶלֶךְ (ha-melekh) — Root: מלך (melek); Form: Interrogative particle הֲ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “is the king”; Notes: Questions the presence of leadership.
- אֵין־בָּךְ (ein-bakh) — Root: אין (ein) + בּ (be); Form: Negative particle + preposition בְּ + suffix 2fs; Translation: “not in you”; Notes: Indicates absence of royal aid.
- אִם (im) — Root: אם (im); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “has / if”; Notes: Introduces an alternative possibility.
- יֹועֲצֵךְ (yoʿatsetekh) — Root: יעץ (yaʿats); Form: Qal participle masculine singular + suffix 2fs; Translation: “your counselor”; Notes: Royal counselor, symbolizing guidance.
- אָבָד (avad) — Root: אבד (avad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has perished”; Notes: Describes the collapse of leadership.
- כִּי (ki) — Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces explanation for the lament.
- הֶחֱזִיקֵךְ (heḥezikekh) — Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 2fs; Translation: “has seized you”; Notes: Used metaphorically for intense pain.
- חִיל (ḥil) — Root: חיל (ḥil); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “pain”; Notes: Birth-pang imagery for terror.
- כַּיֹּולֵדָה (ka-yoleidah) — Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Preposition כְּ + Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “like a woman giving birth”; Notes: Common prophetic metaphor for severe distress.