הֹ֛וי הַמַּעֲמִיקִ֥ים מֵֽיהוָ֖ה לַסְתִּ֣ר עֵצָ֑ה וְהָיָ֤ה בְמַחְשָׁךְ֙ מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֥י רֹאֵ֖נוּ וּמִ֥י יֹודְעֵֽנוּ׃
Woe to those who deeply hide counsel from YHWH, and their deeds are in the dark, and they say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?”
Morphology
- הֹ֛וי (hoy) – Root: Interjection; Form: Vocative interjection; Translation: “Woe”; Notes: A prophetic cry of warning or lament.
- הַמַּעֲמִיקִ֥ים (ha-maʿamiqim) – Root: עמק; Form: Hifil participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “those who deeply hide”; Notes: Refers to intentional concealment in a profound or cunning way.
- מֵֽיהוָ֖ה (me-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “from YHWH”; Notes: Indicates the object of concealment.
- לַסְתִּ֣ר (la-seter) – Root: סתר; Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to hide”; Notes: Purpose clause showing intent to conceal counsel.
- עֵצָ֑ה (ʿetsah) – Root: יעץ; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “counsel”; Notes: Refers to plans, schemes, or advice.
- וְהָיָ֤ה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav; Translation: “and it is”; Notes: Describes the state of their actions.
- בְמַחְשָׁךְ֙ (be-maḥshakh) – Root: חשׁך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the dark”; Notes: Symbol of secrecy and moral obscurity.
- מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֔ם (maʿaseihem) – Root: עשׂה; Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their deeds”; Notes: Actions hidden from public or divine view.
- וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they say”; Notes: Describes their deluded thoughts or speech.
- מִ֥י (mi) – Root: Interrogative particle; Form: Pronoun; Translation: “Who”; Notes: Introduces rhetorical questions.
- רֹאֵ֖נוּ (roʾeinu) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal active participle masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “sees us”; Notes: Questioning divine omniscience.
- וּמִ֥י (u-mi) – Root: Interrogative particle + conjunction; Form: “and who”; Translation: “and who”; Notes: Continues the previous question.
- יֹודְעֵֽנוּ (yodʿeinu) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal active participle masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “knows us”; Notes: Assumes hiddenness from YHWH’s knowledge.