לָ֣מָּה תַרְאֵ֤נִי אָ֨וֶן֙ וְעָמָ֣ל תַּבִּ֔יט וְשֹׁ֥ד וְחָמָ֖ס לְנֶגְדִּ֑י וַיְהִ֧י רִ֦יב וּמָדֹ֖ון יִשָּֽׂא׃
Why do you make me see iniquity and trouble you look upon and devastation and violence are before me and strife arises and contention lifts itself.
Morphology
- לָמָּה (lammah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “why”; Notes: Introduces the prophet’s lament questioning divine tolerance of evil.
- תַרְאֵנִי (tarʾeini) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 2ms + suffix 1cs; Translation: “you make me see”; Notes: Imperfect expresses ongoing experience of being forced to witness wrongdoing.
- אָוֶן (ʾaven) – Root: און (ʾaven); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “iniquity”; Notes: Connotes wickedness, trouble, or harm.
- וְעָמָל (ve-ʿamal) – Root: עמל (ʿamal); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and trouble”; Notes: Highlights suffering and toil caused by injustice.
- תַּבִּיט (tabbit) – Root: נבט (nabat); Form: Hifil imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you look upon”; Notes: Hifil indicates causative or intensive action in perceiving evil.
- וְשֹׁד (ve-shod) – Root: שׁדד (shadad); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and devastation”; Notes: Refers to violent ruin or destruction.
- וְחָמָס (ve-ḥamas) – Root: חמס (ḥamas); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and violence”; Notes: A strong term for moral corruption expressed as oppressive violence.
- לְנֶגְדִּי (le-negdi) – Root: נגד (neged); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular construct + suffix 1cs; Translation: “before me”; Notes: Indicates constant exposure to injustice.
- וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and it came to be”; Notes: Narrative past form indicating consequential developments.
- רִיב (riv) – Root: ריב (riv); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “strife”; Notes: Indicates social conflict or litigation.
- וּמָדֹון (u-madon) – Root: דון (don); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and contention”; Notes: Often paired with “riv” to strengthen the picture of communal discord.
- יִשָּׂא (yissa) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “it lifts itself”; Notes: Describes contention rising up prominently within society.