אָכְל֤וּ זָרִים֙ כֹּחֹ֔ו וְה֖וּא לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע גַּם־שֵׂיבָה֙ זָ֣רְקָה בֹּ֔ו וְה֖וּא לֹ֥א יָדָֽע׃
Strangers have devoured his strength, yet he does not know; also gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, yet he does not know.
Morphology
- אָכְלוּ (ʾakhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have devoured”; Notes: Indicates completed action — consumption or depletion by others, here “strangers.”
- זָרִים (zarim) – Root: זר (zar); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “strangers”; Notes: Refers to foreign nations or external powers consuming Ephrayim’s vitality.
- כֹּחוֹ (koḥo) – Root: כח (koʾaḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his strength”; Notes: Symbolic of national vigor, vitality, or moral power.
- וְהוּא (ve-hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “yet he”; Notes: Contrasts the subject’s ignorance with his condition.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Used to negate a verb.
- יָדָע (yadaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “knew” or “has known”; Notes: Expresses ignorance — he fails to perceive his loss.
- גַּם (gam) – Root: גם (gam); Form: Adverb; Translation: “also”; Notes: Adds an additional sign of decline or consequence.
- שֵׂיבָה (seivah) – Root: שׂיב (seiv); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “gray hair”; Notes: Symbol of aging or decay, metaphorically describing decline of strength or prestige.
- זָרְקָה (zarkah) – Root: זרק (zarq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has sprinkled”; Notes: Suggests gray hairs scattered or appearing, symbolizing visible decline.
- בּוֹ (bo) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 3ms; Translation: “upon him” or “on him”; Notes: Indicates the subject (Ephrayim) as bearing the mark of aging or weakness.
- וְהוּא (ve-hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “yet he”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes obstinate ignorance.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Continues negation from the previous clause.
- יָדָע (yadaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has known”; Notes: Reiterates willful blindness — Ephrayim is unaware of both his external and internal decay.