הַכָּרַ֤ת פְּנֵיהֶם֙ עָ֣נְתָה בָּ֔ם וְחַטָּאתָ֛ם כִּסְדֹ֥ם הִגִּ֖ידוּ לֹ֣א כִחֵ֑דוּ אֹ֣וי לְנַפְשָׁ֔ם כִּֽי־גָמְל֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם רָעָֽה׃
The look on their faces testifies against them, and their sin they declare like Sedom; they do not hide it. Woe to their soul, for they have dealt out evil to themselves.
Morphology
- הַכָּרַת (ha-karat) – Root: כרה; Form: Noun feminine singular in construct with definite article; Translation: “the recognition” or “the look”; Notes: Refers to visible expression or countenance.
- פְּנֵיהֶם (peneihem) – Root: פנה; Form: Noun masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their faces”; Notes: Countenance reflecting guilt.
- עָנְתָה (ʿantah) – Root: ענה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “testifies”; Notes: Personification of the face bearing witness.
- בָּם (bam) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “against them”; Notes: The testimony of their appearance condemns them.
- וְחַטָּאתָם (ve-ḥattatam) – Root: חטא; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their sin”; Notes: Subject of the next verb.
- כִּסְדֹם (ki-Sedom) – Root: סדם; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “like Sedom”; Notes: Reference to infamous wickedness.
- הִגִּידוּ (higgidu) – Root: נגד; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they declare”; Notes: Indicates shameless public admission.
- לֹא (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not.”
- כִחֵדוּ (kiḥedu) – Root: כחד; Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they hid”; Notes: Refers to concealment—they did not hide their guilt.
- אֹוי (oy) – Root: Interjection; Form: Exclamation; Translation: “Woe!”; Notes: Expression of grief or impending doom.
- לְנַפְשָׁם (le-nafsham) – Root: נפשׁ; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to their soul”; Notes: Indicates personal ruin or inner destruction.
- כִּי (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the woe.
- גָמְלוּ (gamlu) – Root: גמל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have dealt” or “they have brought”; Notes: Refers to completing or recompensing.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to themselves”; Notes: Emphasizes self-inflicted consequence.
- רָעָה (raʿah) – Root: רעע; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Refers to judgment or harm earned by their actions.