עַל־כֵּ֗ן מָלְא֤וּ מָתְנַי֙ חַלְחָלָ֔ה צִירִ֣ים אֲחָז֔וּנִי כְּצִירֵ֖י יֹֽולֵדָ֑ה נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי מִשְּׁמֹ֔עַ נִבְהַ֖לְתִּי מֵרְאֹֽות׃
Therefore my loins are filled with trembling; pangs have seized me like the pangs of one giving birth. I writhed from hearing, I was dismayed from seeing.
Morphology
- עַל־כֵּ֗ן (ʿal-ken) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Preposition + demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces a conclusion or result based on a previous statement.
- מָלְא֤וּ (malʾu) – Root: מלא (maleʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “are filled”; Notes: Describes the overwhelming physical reaction.
- מָתְנַי (motenai) – Root: מתן (maten); Form: Noun masculine dual with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my loins”; Notes: Refers to the lower body, often associated with strength or inner emotions.
- חַלְחָלָ֔ה (ḥalḥalah) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “trembling”; Notes: Denotes shaking or convulsion from fear or anguish.
- צִירִ֣ים (tsirim) – Root: ציר (tsir); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “pangs”; Notes: Refers to sharp pains, especially labor pains.
- אֲחָז֔וּנִי (aḥazuni) – Root: אחז (ʾaḥaz); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “have seized me”; Notes: Expresses being gripped or overtaken by intense experience.
- כְּצִירֵ֖י (ke-tsirei) – Root: ציר (tsir); Form: Preposition כְּ + construct noun masculine plural with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “like the pangs of”; Notes: Introduces a simile, enhancing the metaphor of childbirth pain.
- יֹולֵדָ֑ה (yoledah) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “a woman giving birth”; Notes: Continues the simile of labor pain as metaphor for prophetic trauma.
- נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי (naʿaveiti) – Root: עוה (ʿawah); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I writhed”; Notes: Expresses inward torment or convulsive response.
- מִשְּׁמֹ֔עַ (mi-shemoaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Preposition מִן + infinitive construct; Translation: “from hearing”; Notes: Source or cause of distress—what was heard caused anguish.
- נִבְהַ֖לְתִּי (nibhhalti) – Root: בהל (bahal); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I was dismayed”; Notes: Denotes alarm or overwhelming fear.
- מֵרְאֹֽות (me-reʾot) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Preposition מִן + infinitive construct; Translation: “from seeing”; Notes: Complements the hearing—what the prophet saw also terrified him.