כִּי־אֵיךְ֙ אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה אֶל־אָבִ֔י וְהַנַּ֖עַר אֵינֶ֣נּוּ אִתִּ֑י פֶּ֚ן אֶרְאֶ֣ה בָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִמְצָ֖א אֶת־אָבִֽי׃
For how can I go up to my father if the boy is not with me, lest I see the harm that would come upon my father?
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason or explanation.
- אֵיךְ֙ (eikh) – Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “how”; Notes: Expresses the speaker’s hesitation or concern.
- אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה (e’eleh) – Root: עלה (alah); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “I go up”; Notes: Refers to ascending or returning to the father.
- אֶל־אָבִ֔י (el-avi) – Root: אָב (av); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular with 1cs suffix; Translation: “to my father”; Notes: Indicates the direction of the speaker’s return.
- וְהַנַּ֖עַר (vehana’ar) – Root: נַעַר (na’ar); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “and the boy”; Notes: Refers to the young son, emphasizing his absence.
- אֵינֶ֣נּוּ (einenu) – Root: אַיִן (ayin); Form: Negative existential particle with 3ms suffix; Translation: “is not”; Notes: Denotes the boy’s absence.
- אִתִּ֑י (itti) – Root: אֵת (et); Form: Preposition with 1cs suffix; Translation: “with me”; Notes: Stresses the absence of the boy alongside the speaker.
- פֶּ֚ן (pen) – Form: Particle of prevention or caution; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Introduces a concern about a potential outcome.
- אֶרְאֶ֣ה (ereh) – Root: ראה (ra’ah); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “I see”; Notes: Expresses the fear of witnessing harm.
- בָרָ֔ע (bara’) – Root: רָע (ra); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the harm”; Notes: Refers to the misfortune feared by the speaker.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the clause describing the harm.
- יִמְצָ֖א (yimtza) – Root: מצא (matza); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “would come upon”; Notes: Refers to the harm potentially finding or affecting the father.
- אֶת־אָבִֽי (et-avi) – Root: אָב (av); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1cs suffix; Translation: “my father”; Notes: The speaker’s father, who is the object of concern.