נַפְשִׁ֤י בְּתֹ֥וךְ לְבָאִם֮ אֶשְׁכְּבָ֪ה לֹ֫הֲטִ֥ים בְּֽנֵי־אָדָ֗ם שִׁ֭נֵּיהֶם חֲנִ֣ית וְחִצִּ֑ים וּ֝לְשֹׁונָ֗ם חֶ֣רֶב חַדָּֽה׃
My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down among those who blaze, sons of man; their teeth are a spear and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | נַפְשִׁי | nafshi | “my soul” | N(fs)+suff 1cs |
| 2 | בְּתוֹךְ | be-tokh | “in the midst” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) |
| 3 | לְבָאִים | levaʾim | “lions” | Prep לְ + N(mp) |
| 4 | אֶשְׁכְּבָה | ʾeshkəvah | “I lie down” | Qal imperfect 1cs |
| 5 | לֹהֲטִים | lohăṭim | “those who blaze” | Qal part mp |
| 6 | בְּנֵי־אָדָם | benei-ʾadam | “sons of man” | N(mp construct)+N(ms) |
| 7 | שִׁנֵּיהֶם | shinnehem | “their teeth” | N(fp)+suff 3mp |
| 8 | חֲנִית | ḥanit | “a spear” | N(fs) |
| 9 | וְחִצִּים | ve-ḥitsim | “and arrows” | Conj וְ + N(mp) |
| 10 | וּלְשֹׁונָם | u-le-shonam | “and their tongue” | Conj וְ + Prep לְ + N(fs)+suff 3mp |
| 11 | חֶרֶב | ḥerev | “a sword” | N(fs) |
| 12 | חַדָּה | ḥaddah | “sharp” | Adj fs |
Morphology
- נַפְשִׁי (nafshi) – Root: נפשׁ (n-p-š); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my soul”; Notes: Refers to the speaker’s life or self.
- בְּתוֹךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך (t-w-kh); Root Type: Hollow (weak); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst”; Notes: Indicates surrounding danger.
- לְבָאִים (levaʾim) – Root: לבא (l-b-ʾ); Root Type: III-Guttural (א) (weak); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “lions”; Notes: Symbolic of fierce enemies.
- אֶשְׁכְּבָה (ʾeshkəvah) – Root: שׁכב (š-k-b); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I lie down”; Notes: Describes vulnerability in danger.
- לֹהֲטִים (lohăṭim) – Root: להט (l-h-ṭ); Root Type: II-Guttural (ה) (weak); Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “those who blaze”; Notes: Describes fierce, burning attackers.
- בְּנֵי־אָדָם (benei-ʾadam) – Root: בן (b-n) / אדם (ʾ-d-m); Root Type: Strong / I-Guttural (א) (weak); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “sons of man”; Notes: Refers to human adversaries.
- שִׁנֵּיהֶם (shinnehem) – Root: שׁן (š-n); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their teeth”; Notes: Metaphor for destructive speech or violence.
- חֲנִית (ḥanit) – Root: חנית (ḥ-n-y-t); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a spear”; Notes: Weapon imagery.
- וְחִצִּים (ve-ḥitsim) – Root: חץ (ḥ-ṣ); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and arrows”; Notes: Parallel weapon imagery.
- וּלְשֹׁונָם (u-le-shonam) – Root: לשׁן (l-š-n); Root Type: Strong; Form: Conjunction וְ + Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and their tongue”; Notes: Speech as weapon.
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב (ḥ-r-b); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a sword”; Notes: Metaphor for cutting speech.
- חַדָּה (ḥaddah) – Root: חדד (ḥ-d-d); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “sharp”; Notes: Modifies “sword.”