אָהַ֥בְתָּ כָֽל־דִּבְרֵי־בָ֗לַע לְשֹׁ֣ון מִרְמָֽה׃
You have loved all words of swallowing, O tongue of deceit.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | אָהַבְתָּ | ʾahavta | “you have loved” | Qal perfect 2ms |
| 2 | כָל־ | kol | “all” | N(ms) construct |
| 3 | דִּבְרֵי־ | divrei | “words of” | N(mp) construct |
| 4 | בָלַע | balaʿ | “swallowing” | N(ms) |
| 5 | לְשֹׁון | leshon | “tongue” | N(fs) |
| 6 | מִרְמָה | mirmah | “deceit” | N(fs) |
Morphology
- אָהַבְתָּ (ʾahavta) – Root: אהב (ʾ-h-b); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have loved”; Notes: Expresses a completed action reflecting a settled disposition.
- כָל־ (kol) – Root: כל (k-l); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “all”; Notes: Governs the following noun to express totality. The use of “all” (כָּל) emphasizes the total immersion of this person in harmful speech; it isn’t just an occasional lapse, but a sustained preference.
- דִּבְרֵי־ (divrei) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine plural construct (state: construct); Translation: “words of”; Notes: Construct form linking with the following noun to form a genitive phrase.
- בָלַע (balaʿ) – Root: בלע (b-l-ʿ); Root Type: III-Guttural (ע); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “swallowing”; Notes: Conveys destructive speech that metaphorically consumes or devours. The “swallowing” metaphor (בָּלַע) — the word בָּלַע is a masculine noun derived from the verb meaning “to swallow” or “to engulf.” Most versions render it as “devouring words” or “destructive words.” By using “words of swallowing,” the physiological and animalistic force of the Hebrew is preserved. It suggests speech that does not merely wound but consumes—speech that “eats” its victim. The image turns the mouth into a predator’s maw. The literal rendering preserves the Hebrew concept of the tongue as an independent agent of destruction. The contrast between the “loving” (אָהַ֥בְתָּ) and the “swallowing” (בָ֗לַע) creates a chilling irony that is often lost in smoother, less literal translations. The root בָּלַע appears elsewhere in the Psalms to describe the earth “swallowing” the wicked or the grave consuming its prey.
- לְשֹׁון (leshon) – Root: לשׁן (l-š-n); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “tongue”; Notes: Used vocatively, addressing the deceitful speaker as “tongue of deceit.”
- מִרְמָה (mirmah) – Root: רמה (r-m-h); Root Type: III-He; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “deceit”; Notes: Specifies the quality of the tongue, highlighting its deceptive nature. The Hebrew simply says לְשׁוֹן מִרְמָה (leshon mirmah). By adding the “O,” the syntax is correctly interpreted as vocative—addressing the tongue directly. This fits the context of the Psalm, which confronts a “mighty man” who wields his speech for evil.