מַה־בֶּ֥צַע בְּדָמִי֮ בְּרִדְתִּ֪י אֶ֫ל־שָׁ֥חַת הֲיֹודְךָ֥ עָפָ֑ר הֲיַגִּ֥יד אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃
What gain is in my blood, in my going down to the pit? Will dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מַה־ | mah | “what” | Interrogative |
| 2 | בֶּצַע | beṣaʿ | “gain” | N(ms) |
| 3 | בְּדָמִי | bedami | “in my blood” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) + suffix 1cs |
| 4 | בְּרִדְתִּי | beridti | “in my going down” | Prep בְּ + Inf construct + suffix 1cs |
| 5 | אֶל־ | ʾel | “to” | Prep |
| 6 | שָׁחַת | shaḥat | “pit” | N(fs) |
| 7 | הֲיֹודְךָ | hăyodekha | “will it praise You?” | Interrogative הֲ + Hiphil participle ms + suffix 2ms |
| 8 | עָפָר | ʿafar | “dust” | N(ms) |
| 9 | הֲיַגִּיד | hăyaggid | “will it declare?” | Interrogative הֲ + Hiphil imperfect 3ms |
| 10 | אֲמִתֶּךָ | ʾamitekha | “Your truth” | N(fs) + suffix 2ms |
Morphology
- מַה־ (mah) – Root: —; Root Type: Interrogative particle; Form: Interrogative; Translation: “what”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question emphasizing lack of benefit.
- בֶּצַע (beṣaʿ) – Root: בצע (b-ṣ-ʿ); Root Type: III-Ayin; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “gain”; Notes: Often denotes profit or advantage.
- בְּדָמִי (bedami) – Root: דם (d-m); Root Type: Biliteral; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “in my blood”; Notes: Refers to life or death, implying loss through death.
- בְּרִדְתִּי (beridti) – Root: ירד (y-r-d); Root Type: I-Yod; Binyan: Qal; Form: Preposition בְּ + infinitive construct + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “in my going down”; Notes: Expresses the act of descending, often to death or Sheʾol.
- אֶל־ (ʾel) – Root: —; Root Type: Preposition; Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction toward a place.
- שָׁחַת (shaḥat) – Root: שׁחת (š-ḥ-t); Root Type: II-Guttural; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “pit”; Notes: A metaphor for the grave or destruction.
- הֲיֹודְךָ (hăyodekha) – Root: ידה (y-d-h); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Interrogative הֲ + participle masculine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “will it praise You?”; Notes: Rhetorical question highlighting inability of the dead to praise.
- עָפָר (ʿafar) – Root: עפר (ʿ-p-r); Root Type: I-Guttural; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “dust”; Notes: Represents the dead, returning to earth.
- הֲיַגִּיד (hăyaggid) – Root: נגד (n-g-d); Root Type: I-Nun; Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Interrogative הֲ + imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will it declare?”; Notes: Emphasizes proclamation of truth, here rhetorically denied.
- אֲמִתֶּךָ (ʾamitekha) – Root: אמת (ʾ-m-t); Root Type: I-Aleph; Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Your truth”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s faithfulness and reliability.