כְּמֹ֤ו הָרָה֙ תַּקְרִ֣יב לָלֶ֔דֶת תָּחִ֥יל תִּזְעַ֖ק בַּחֲבָלֶ֑יהָ כֵּ֛ן הָיִ֥ינוּ מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָֽה׃
Like a pregnant woman who draws near to give birth, she writhes, she cries out in her pangs, so were we before You, YHWH.
Morphology
- כְּמֹ֤ו (kemo) – Root: כמו; Form: Preposition; Translation: “Like”; Notes: Comparative preposition introducing the simile.
- הָרָה֙ (harah) – Root: הרה; Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “pregnant”; Notes: Describes the subject of the simile.
- תַּקְרִ֣יב (taqriv) – Root: קרב; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “she draws near”; Notes: Causative; approaching the moment of birth.
- לָלֶ֔דֶת (laledet) – Root: ילד; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to give birth”; Notes: Purpose or result of the nearing.
- תָּחִ֥יל (taḥil) – Root: חול; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “she writhes”; Notes: Expresses physical convulsion or agony of labor.
- תִּזְעַ֖ק (tizʿaq) – Root: זעק; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “she cries out”; Notes: Refers to a cry of distress.
- בַּחֲבָלֶ֑יהָ (baḥavaleha) – Root: חבל; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her pangs”; Notes: Refers to labor pains.
- כֵּ֛ן (ken) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Draws the comparison back to the speaker.
- הָיִ֥ינוּ (hayinu) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 1st person common plural; Translation: “we were”; Notes: Describes the state of the people.
- מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ (mippanekha) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before You”; Notes: Indicates the presence of YHWH as the context.
- יְהוָֽה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Concludes the verse with direct address to God.