אַךְ־אֱוִלִים֙ שָׂ֣רֵי צֹ֔עַן חַכְמֵי֙ יֹעֲצֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה עֵצָ֖ה נִבְעָרָ֑ה אֵ֚יךְ תֹּאמְר֣וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה בֶּן־חֲכָמִ֥ים אֲנִ֖י בֶּן־מַלְכֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃
Surely the princes of Tsoʿan are fools; the wise counselors of Parʿo—counsel has become brutish. How can you say to Parʿo, “I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings”?
Morphology
- אַךְ (ʾakh) – Root: אך; Form: Adverb; Translation: “surely,” “indeed”; Notes: Emphatic particle indicating certainty or contrast.
- אֱוִלִים (ʾevilim) – Root: אויל; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “fools”; Notes: Refers to lack of wisdom, particularly in leadership.
- שָׂרֵי (sarei) – Root: שרר; Form: Construct plural of “princes”; Translation: “princes of”; Notes: Denotes high-ranking officials.
- צֹעַן (Tsoʿan) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Place name; Translation: “Tsoʿan”; Notes: An important city in Mitsrayim (Egypt).
- חַכְמֵי (ḥakhmei) – Root: חכם; Form: Construct plural; Translation: “wise men of”; Notes: Used of advisors or learned men.
- יֹעֲצֵי (yoʿatsei) – Root: יעץ; Form: Construct plural; Translation: “counselors of”; Notes: Linked with “wise men,” specifying function.
- פַרְעֹה (Parʿo) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Name of Egyptian ruler; Translation: “Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to the king of Mitsrayim.
- עֵצָה (ʿetsah) – Root: יעץ; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “counsel”; Notes: The plan or advice being criticized.
- נִבְעָרָה (nivʿarah) – Root: בער; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has become brutish”; Notes: Indicates a loss of understanding or foolishness.
- אֵיךְ (ʾeikh) – Root: Interrogative; Form: Adverb; Translation: “how?”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical challenge.
- תֹּאמְרוּ (toʾmeru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “can you say”; Notes: Addressed to the counselors or officials.
- אֶל־פַּרְעֹה (el-Parʿo) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Preposition + name; Translation: “to Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to speaking directly to the king.
- בֶּן־חֲכָמִים (ben-ḥakhamim) – Root: חכם; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of the wise”; Notes: Claiming noble or intellectual heritage.
- אֲנִי (ani) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Subject of the quotation.
- בֶּן־מַלְכֵי־קֶדֶם (ben-malkhei-qedem) – Roots: מלך, קדם; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of ancient kings”; Notes: Claiming ancestral royalty of the East.