Exodus 23:8

וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֨חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים׃

And you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and distorts the words of the righteous.

Morphology

1. וְשֹׁ֖חַד (veshoḥad) – Root: שחד (sh-kh-d); Form: Conjunction + Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “And a bribe”; Notes: Refers to money or gifts given to influence judgment.
2. לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח (lo tiqqach) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Negative particle + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “You shall not take”; Notes: Prohibition against accepting bribes.
3. כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the explanation for the command.
4. הַשֹּׁ֨חַד֙ (hashoḥad) – Root: שחד (sh-kh-d); Form: Definite article + Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “The bribe”; Notes: Indicates the specific corruptive influence of bribery.
5. יְעַוֵּ֣ר (yeʿawwer) – Root: עור (ʿ-w-r); Form: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Blinds”; Notes: Describes the impact on perception and judgment.
6. פִּקְחִ֔ים (piqḥim) – Root: פקח (p-q-ḥ); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “The clear-sighted”; Notes: Refers to those with sound judgment or discernment.
7. וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף (visallef) – Root: סלף (s-l-f); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Piel, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And distorts”; Notes: Describes the corruption of truth or justice.
8. דִּבְרֵ֥י (divrei) – Root: דבר (d-v-r); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “The words of”; Notes: Refers to spoken or written judgments.
9. צַדִּיקִֽים׃ (tsaddiqim) – Root: צדיק (ts-d-q); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “The righteous”; Notes: Refers to those who act justly and uphold moral integrity.