לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃
You shall not pervert judgment, you shall not show partiality, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and distorts the words of the righteous.
Morphology
- לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה (lo-tatteh) – Root: נטה (natah); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You shall not pervert”; Notes: Refers to the prohibition against distorting justice.
- מִשְׁפָּ֔ט (mishpat) – Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “judgment”; Notes: Refers to legal decisions or justice.
- לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר (lo-takkir) – Root: נכר (nakar); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You shall not show partiality”; Notes: Prohibits favoritism in judgment.
- פָּנִ֑ים (panim) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “faces”; Notes: Refers to showing favoritism toward individuals.
- וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח (ve-lo-tiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you shall not take”; Notes: Refers to the prohibition against accepting bribes.
- שֹׁ֔חַד (shoḥad) – Root: שחד (shoḥad); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a bribe”; Notes: Refers to illicit payments that corrupt justice.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the command.
- הַשֹּׁ֗חַד (ha-shoḥad) – Root: שחד (shoḥad); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the bribe”; Notes: Refers to the specific act of bribery.
- יְעַוֵּר֙ (yeʿawwer) – Root: עור (ʿawar); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “blinds”; Notes: Refers to the figurative blinding of wise judgment.
- עֵינֵ֣י (ʿeinei) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct; Translation: “the eyes of”; Notes: Refers to perception or discernment.
- חֲכָמִ֔ים (ḥakhamim) – Root: חכם (ḥakham); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “the wise”; Notes: Refers to individuals known for wisdom.
- וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף (vi-yisallef) – Root: סלף (salaf); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and distorts”; Notes: Refers to twisting or corrupting words.
- דִּבְרֵ֥י (divrei) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the words of”; Notes: Refers to statements or testimonies.
- צַדִּיקִֽם׃ (tzaddiqim) – Root: צדק (tzadak); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “the righteous”; Notes: Refers to those who uphold justice and integrity.