ויאמר למך לנשיו עדה וצלה שמען קולי נשי למך האזנה אמרתי כי איש הרגתי לפצעי וילד לחברתי׃
Gen 4:23 [Samaritan]
ויאמר למך לנשיו עדה וצלה שמען קולי נשי למך האזינה אמרתי כי איש הרגתי לפצעי וילד לחברתי׃
Gen 4:23 [Masoretic]
וַיֹּאמֶר לֶמֶךְ לְנָשָׁיו עָדָה וְצִלָּה שְׁמַעַן קֹולִי נְשֵׁי לֶמֶךְ הַאְזֵנָּה אִמְרָתִי כִּי אִישׁ הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי וְיֶלֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי׃
And Lemekh said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice, wives of Lemekh, listen to my speech. For I have slain a man for wounding me, and a boy for striking me.
Gen 4:23 [Targum Onkelos]
וַאֲמַר לֶמֶךְ לִנְשׁוֹהִי עָדָה וְצִלָּה שְׁמַעָא קָלִי נְשֵׁי לֶמֶךְ אַצִּיתָא לְמֵימְרִי לָא גַבְרָא קְטָלִית דִּבְדִילֵיהּ אֲנָא סָבֵיל חוֹבִין וְאַף לָא עוּלֵימָא חַבֵּילִית דִּבְדִילֵיהּ יִשְׁתֵּיצֵי זַרְעִי:
And Lemekh said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice, wives of Lemekh, listen to my speech. I have not killed a man, that on his account I should carry the guilt; or destroyed a boy, that on his account my offspring will be destroyed.
* guilt or iniquity, sin
Gen 4:23 [Samaritan Targum]
ואמר למך לאתתה עדה וצלה שמען קלי תרתי נשי למך אציתין לאמירתי הלא גבר קטלת לדחרתי וילד לעסורתי:
Gen 4:23 [Peshitta]
ܘܐܡܼܪ ܠܡܟ ܠܢܫ̈ܘܗܝ܂ ܥܕܐ ܘܨܠܐ ܫܡܥܝܢ ܩܠܝ܂ ܢܫ̈ܝ ܠܡܟ ܨܘܬܝܢ ܠܡܐܡܪܝ܂ ܡܛܠ ܕܓܒܪܐ ܩܿܛܠܬ ܒܨ̈ܘܠܦܬܝ ܘܛܠܝܐ ܒܫ̈ܘܩܦܝ܂
And Lemekh said to his wives, “Ada and Zilla, hear my voice, wives of Lemekh, listen to my speech. For I have killed a man for wounding me, and a boy for beating me.
Gen 4:23 [Septuagint]
Εἶπεν δὲ Λάμεχ ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ γυναιξίν· Ἀδὰ καὶ Σελλά, ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς φωνῆς· γυναῖκες Λάμεχ, ἐνωτίσασθέ μου τοὺς λόγους· ὅτι ἄνδρα ἀπέκτεινα εἰς τραῦμα ἐμοὶ, καὶ νεανίσκον εἰς μώλωπα ἐμοί·
And Lamech said to his wives, “Ada and Sella, hear my voice, wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, because I have killed a man for my wound and a young man for my bruise;
Gen 4:23 [Old Latin (Vetus Latina)]
… Audite verba mea uxores Lamech, auribus percipite verba mea : quia virum occidi in vulnus meum, et iuvenem in livorem meum.
… “Hear my voice, wives of Lamech, give ear to my words, because I have killed a man for wounding me, and a young man for striking me.
Gen 4:23 [Vulgate]
Dixitque Lamech uxoribus suis Adae et Sellae Audite vocem meam uxores Lamech, auscultate sermonem meum : quoniam occidi virum in vulnus meum, et adulescentulum in livorem meum.
And Lamech said to his wives, “Ada and Sella, hear my voice, wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have killed a man for wounding me, and a young man for striking me.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קֹולִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֨גְתִּי֙ לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי׃
And Lamekh said to his wives, “Ada and Tzila, listen to my voice; wives of Lamekh, give ear to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, and a boy for striking me.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (wayyōmer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect, third masculine singular with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks the beginning of Lamekh’s declaration.
- לֶ֜מֶךְ (lemeḵ) – Root: למך (l-m-k); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Lamekh”; Notes: The speaker in the narrative.
- לְנָשָׁ֗יו (lenāšāw) – Root: אשה (ʾ-š-h); Form: Preposition לְ + plural feminine noun with third masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his wives”; Notes: Indicates the addressees.
- עָדָ֤ה (ʿādāh) – Root: עדה (ʿ-d-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Adah”; Notes: The first wife of Lamekh.
- וְצִלָּה֙ (wəṣillāh) – Root: צלה (ṣ-l-h); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun; Translation: “and Tzilah”; Notes: The second wife of Lamekh.
- שְׁמַ֣עַן (šemāʿan) – Root: שמע (š-m-ʿ); Form: Qal imperative, plural feminine; Translation: “listen”; Notes: Directed at Lamekh’s wives.
- קֹולִ֔י (qōlî) – Root: קול (q-w-l); Form: Noun, singular masculine construct with first masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to my voice”; Notes: Refers to Lamekh’s speech.
- נְשֵׁ֣י (nəšê) – Root: אשה (ʾ-š-h); Form: Construct plural feminine noun; Translation: “wives of”; Notes: Used to address his two wives.
- לֶ֔מֶךְ (lemeḵ) – Root: למך (l-m-k); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Lamekh”; Notes: Reiterates the identity of the speaker.
- הַאְזֵ֖נָּה (haʾzênāh) – Root: אזן (ʾ-z-n); Form: Hiphil imperative, plural feminine; Translation: “give ear to”; Notes: Synonym for “listen,” emphasizing attention.
- אִמְרָתִ֑י (ʾimrātî) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Noun, singular feminine construct with first masculine singular suffix; Translation: “my speech”; Notes: Refers to the words of Lamekh.
- כִּ֣י (kî) – Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the statement.
- אִ֤ישׁ (ʾîš) – Root: איש (ʾ-y-š); Form: Noun, singular masculine; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Refers to an adult male.
- הָרַ֨גְתִּי֙ (hāraḡtî) – Root: הרג (h-r-g); Form: Qal perfect, first masculine singular; Translation: “I have killed”; Notes: Indicates Lamekh’s action.
- לְפִצְעִ֔י (ləpiṣʿî) – Root: פצע (p-ṣ-ʿ); Form: Preposition לְ + noun, singular masculine construct with first masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for wounding me”; Notes: Indicates the reason for the killing.
- וְיֶ֖לֶד (wəyéleḏ) – Root: ילד (y-l-d); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun, singular masculine; Translation: “and a boy”; Notes: Refers to a young male.
- לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי (ləḥabbuṯātî) – Root: חבורה (ḥ-b-r); Form: Preposition לְ + noun, singular feminine construct with first masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for striking me”; Notes: Indicates the second reason for Lamekh’s action.