יַעֲבָר־נָ֥א אֲדֹנִ֖י לִפְנֵ֣י עַבְדֹּ֑ו וַאֲנִ֞י אֶֽתְנָהֲלָ֣ה לְאִטִּ֗י לְרֶ֨גֶל הַמְּלָאכָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַי֙ וּלְרֶ֣גֶל הַיְלָדִ֔ים עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־אָבֹ֥א אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י שֵׂעִֽירָה׃
Please let my lord pass before his servant, and I will move on slowly, at the pace of the work that is before me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord, to Seʿir.”
Morphology
- יַעֲבָר־נָ֥א (yaʿăvār-nā) – Root: עבר; Form: Jussive (Qal imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular + particle of entreaty; Translation: “Let … pass, please”; Notes: Polite request, directed to ʿEsaw.
- אֲדֹנִ֖י (ʾadonī) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Term of respect for ʿEsaw.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פנים; Form: Preposition + noun in construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates position in front of the speaker.
- עַבְדֹּ֑ו (ʿavdō) – Root: עבד; Form: Noun, masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his servant”; Notes: Yaʿaqov referring to himself in humility.
- וַאֲנִ֞י (vaʾănī) – Root: אנכי; Form: Independent pronoun; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Marks contrast or continuation.
- אֶֽתְנָהֲלָ֣ה (ʾetnahălāh) – Root: נהל; Form: Hitpael cohortative (1st person singular); Translation: “I will move on slowly”; Notes: Reflexive/volitional action of proceeding gently.
- לְאִטִּ֗י (leʾittī) – Root: אט; Form: Noun, masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix with preposition; Translation: “at my pace”; Notes: Indicates slow or gentle movement.
- לְרֶ֨גֶל (leregel) – Root: רגל; Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “at the pace of”; Notes: Often used idiomatically for accompanying or rate of movement.
- הַמְּלָאכָ֤ה (hammĕlaʾkhāh) – Root: מלאך / מלאכה; Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the work” or “the procession”; Notes: Refers to the caravan or traveling group.
- אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַי֙ (ʾasher-lefanai) – Root: אשר / פנים; Form: Relative pronoun + preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “that is before me”; Notes: Describes what leads Yaʿaqov’s movement.
- וּלְרֶ֣גֶל (uleregel) – Root: רגל; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “and at the pace of”; Notes: Parallel with previous expression.
- הַיְלָדִ֔ים (hayeladim) – Root: ילד; Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the children”; Notes: Another factor slowing progress.
- עַ֛ד (ʿad) – Root: עד; Form: Preposition; Translation: “until”; Notes: Marks duration.
- אֲשֶׁר־אָבֹ֥א (ʾasher-ʾavō) – Root: אשר / בוא; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “until I come”; Notes: Subordinate temporal clause.
- אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י (ʾel-adonī) – Root: אל / אדן; Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to my lord”; Notes: Refers to ʿEsaw.
- שֵׂעִֽירָה (Seʿīrah) – Root: שׂעיר; Form: Proper noun with locative he; Translation: “to Seʿir”; Notes: Geographic location where ʿEsaw lived.