יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי רָ֭עָה תַּ֥חַת טֹובָ֗ה שְׁכֹ֣ול לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
They repay me evil instead of good, bereavement to my soul.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | יְשַׁלְּמוּנִי | yeshallemuni | “they repay me” | Piel imperfect 3mp + suff 1cs |
| 2 | רָעָה | raʿah | “evil” | N(fs) |
| 3 | תַּחַת | taḥat | “instead of” | Preposition |
| 4 | טֹובָה | ṭovah | “good” | N(fs) |
| 5 | שְׁכֹול | shekhol | “bereavement” | N(ms) |
| 6 | לְנַפְשִׁי | le-nafshi | “to my soul” | Prep לְ + N(fs) + suff 1cs |
Morphology
- יְשַׁלְּמוּנִי (yeshallemuni) – Root: שלם (shalam); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Piel; Form: Imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “they repay me”; Notes: The verb expresses requital or recompense. Here the repayment is hostile and unjust, directed against the speaker.
- רָעָה (raʿah) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Refers to harmful treatment or injury repaid to the speaker.
- תַּחַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition; Translation: “instead of”; Notes: Marks substitution or exchange, highlighting the moral reversal in which evil is returned where good had been given.
- טֹובָה (ṭovah) – Root: טוב (ṭov); Root Type: Hollow (II-Waw); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: Refers to beneficence or kindness that should have been answered with gratitude rather than harm.
- שְׁכֹול (shekhol) – Root: שׁכל (shakhal); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “bereavement”; Notes: Denotes deprivation or loss. In context it expresses the devastating result of their hostility upon the speaker’s inner life.
- לְנַפְשִׁי (le-nafshi) – Root: נפשׁ (nafash); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “to my soul”; Notes: Refers to the speaker’s life or inner being as the one suffering the bereavement-like loss.