אָמַ֣ר שֹׁמֵ֔ר אָתָ֥ה בֹ֖קֶר וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה אִם־תִּבְעָי֥וּן בְּעָ֖יוּ שֻׁ֥בוּ אֵתָֽיוּ׃ ס
The watchman said: “Morning has come, and also night. If you will inquire, inquire; return, come.”
Morphology
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Introduces the response of the watchman to the repeated inquiry.
- שֹׁמֵ֔ר (shomer) – Root: שׁמר (shamar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “the watchman”; Notes: Vocative or subject, the one replying to the voice from Seʿir.
- אָתָ֥ה (atah) – Root: אתה (atah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has come”; Notes: Refers to the arrival of morning.
- בֹ֖קֶר (boqer) – Root: בקר (boqer); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “morning”; Notes: Symbol of hope or the end of night, yet followed paradoxically by “and also night.”
- וְגַם־לָ֑יְלָה (ve-gam-laylah) – Root: ליל (laylah); Form: Conjunction + adverb + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and also night”; Notes: Juxtaposes dawn with continued darkness—ambiguous outcome.
- אִם־תִּבְעָי֥וּן (im-tivʿayun) – Root: בעה (baʿah); Form: Conditional particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “if you will inquire”; Notes: Conditional offer for further questioning.
- בְּעָ֖יוּ (beʿayu) – Root: בעה (baʿah); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “inquire”; Notes: Invitation to seek understanding or return.
- שֻׁ֥בוּ (shuvu) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “return”; Notes: Often carries the sense of repentance or turning back.
- אֵתָֽיוּ (etayu) – Root: אתה (atah); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “come”; Notes: Invitation to approach—possibly an eschatological or prophetic call.