מַה־לָּכֶ֗ם אַתֶּם֙ מֹֽשְׁלִים֙ אֶת־הַמָּשָׁ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה עַל־אַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אָבֹות֙ יֹ֣אכְלוּ בֹ֔סֶר וְשִׁנֵּ֥י הַבָּנִ֖ים תִּקְהֶֽינָה׃
“What is it to you that you are using this proverb upon the land of Yisraʾel, saying, ‘The fathers eat sour grapes, and the teeth of the sons shall be set on edge’?
Morphology
- מַה־לָּכֶם (mah-lakhem) – Root: מה (mah) + ל (lamed preposition) + אתם (2nd person masculine plural suffix); Form: Interrogative pronoun + prepositional phrase; Translation: “What is it to you”; Notes: A rhetorical question confronting their usage of the proverb.
- אַתֶּם (attem) – Root: אתם (attem); Form: Independent pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: The subject pronoun for emphasis.
- מֹשְׁלִים (moshlim) – Root: משׁל (mashal); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “using/proverbing”; Notes: Denotes the act of citing or reciting a proverb.
- אֶת־ (et) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [not translated]; Notes: Marks the definite direct object of the verb.
- הַמָּשָׁל (ha-mashal) – Root: משׁל (mashal); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the proverb”; Notes: Refers to the saying or parable under discussion.
- הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Points to the specific proverb being quoted.
- עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Introduces the domain or location.
- אַדְמַת (admat) – Root: אדמה (adamah); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “land of”; Notes: Construct state linking to Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation/people of Israel.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- אָבֹות (avot) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “fathers”; Notes: Refers to ancestors or forefathers.
- יֹאכְלוּ (yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “eat”; Notes: Indicates habitual or present-future action.
- בֹסֶר (boser) – Root: בֹּסֶר (boser); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “sour grapes”; Notes: Refers to unripe grapes with a bitter taste.
- וְשִׁנֵּי (ve-shinnei) – Root: שֵׁן (shen); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “and the teeth of”; Notes: Construct form linking to “the sons.”
- הַבָּנִים (ha-banim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the sons”; Notes: Refers to the descendants or children.
- תִּקְהֶינָה (tiqheynah) – Root: קהה (qahah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “shall be set on edge”; Notes: Describes the physical reaction of teeth to sourness, metaphorical for consequences borne by children.