יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף אֹויֵ֨ב נַפְשִׁ֡י וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג וְיִרְמֹ֣ס לָאָ֣רֶץ חַיָּ֑י וּכְבֹודִ֓י לֶעָפָ֖ר יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן סֶֽלָה׃
Let an enemy pursue my soul and overtake and trample to the earth my life and my glory to the dust let him cause to dwell Selah.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | יִרַדֹּף | yiraddof | “let him pursue” | Qal imperfect jussive 3ms |
| 2 | אֹויֵב | ʾoyev | “enemy” | N(ms) |
| 3 | נַפְשִׁי | nafshi | “my soul” | N(fs) + suff 1cs |
| 4 | וְיַשֵּׂג | ve-yasseg | “and overtake” | Hiphil imperfect jussive 3ms |
| 5 | וְיִרְמֹס | ve-yirmos | “and trample” | Qal imperfect jussive 3ms |
| 6 | לָאָרֶץ | la-ʾarets | “to the earth” | Prep לְ + Def. N(fs) |
| 7 | חַיָּי | ḥayyai | “my life” | N(mp) + suff 1cs |
| 8 | וּכְבוֹדִי | u-khəvodi | “and my glory” | Conj וְ + N(ms) + suff 1cs |
| 9 | לֶעָפָר | le-ʿafar | “to the dust” | Prep לְ + N(ms) |
| 10 | יַשְׁכֵּן | yashken | “let him cause to dwell” | Hiphil imperfect jussive 3ms |
| 11 | סֶלָה | selah | “Selah” | Liturgical marker |
Morphology
- יִרַדֹּף (yiraddof) – Root: רדף (r-d-p); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “let him pursue”; Notes: Expresses an imprecatory wish allowing the enemy to pursue if the speaker is guilty.
- אֹויֵב (ʾoyev) – Root: איב (ʾ-y-b); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “enemy”; Notes: The subject of the jussive verbs describing hostile action.
- נַפְשִׁי (nafshi) – Root: נפשׁ (n-p-sh); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my soul”; Notes: Often denotes the life or self of the speaker.
- וְיַשֵּׂג (ve-yasseg) – Root: נשׂג (n-ś-g); Root Type: I-Nun (weak); Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Conjunction וְ + imperfect jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and overtake”; Notes: Hiphil conveys causing to reach or overtake in pursuit.
- וְיִרְמֹס (ve-yirmos) – Root: רמס (r-m-s); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Conjunction וְ + imperfect jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and trample”; Notes: Describes violent crushing or trampling down.
- לָאָרֶץ (la-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the earth”; Notes: Indicates the direction or result of being trampled down.
- חַיָּי (ḥayyai) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Root Type: III-He (weak); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my life”; Notes: The plural form often expresses the fullness of one’s life.
- וּכְבוֹדִי (u-khevodi) – Root: כבד (k-b-d); Root Type: Strong; Form: Conjunction וּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “and my glory”; Notes: Refers to honor, dignity, or reputation.
- לֶעָפָר (le-ʿafar) – Root: עפר (ʿ-p-r); Root Type: I-Guttural (ע); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the dust”; Notes: Symbolic of humiliation, death, or utter defeat.
- יַשְׁכֵּן (yashken) – Root: שׁכן (sh-k-n); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Imperfect jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “let him cause to dwell”; Notes: Expresses the result of being laid permanently in the dust.
- סֶלָה (selah) – Root: uncertain; Root Type: Unknown/uncertain; Form: Liturgical or musical marker; Translation: “Selah”; Notes: Likely signals a pause or musical interlude within the psalm.