וְכֵלַ֖י כֵּלָ֣יו רָעִ֑ים ה֚וּא זִמֹּ֣ות יָעָ֔ץ לְחַבֵּ֤ל ענוים בְּאִמְרֵי־שֶׁ֔קֶר וּבְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶבְיֹ֖ון מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
And the scoundrel, his tools are evil; he devises wicked plans to destroy the humble with words of falsehood, and to withhold justice from the poor in judgment.
Morphology
- וְכֵלַ֖י (ve-khelai) – Root: כלי; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “And the scoundrel”; Notes: Derived from the same root as “tools,” but used here as a term for a despicable person (hapax form in this nuance).
- כֵּלָ֣יו (kelav) – Root: כלי; Form: Noun masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his tools”; Notes: Metaphorical for schemes, means, or methods.
- רָעִ֑ים (raʿim) – Root: רעע; Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Describes the nature of the scoundrel’s devices.
- ה֚וּא (hu) – Root: הוא; Form: Pronoun 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Emphatic subject marker—“he himself.”
- זִמֹּ֣ות (zimmot) – Root: זמם; Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “wicked plans”; Notes: Often used for malicious or deceitful intentions.
- יָעָ֔ץ (yaʿats) – Root: יעץ; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he has counseled” or “he devised”; Notes: Expresses intentional plotting.
- לְחַבֵּ֤ל (le-ḥabbel) – Root: חבל; Form: Preposition + Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to destroy”; Notes: Piel intensifies the verb—to ruin or corrupt utterly.
- עֲנָוִים (ʿanavim) – Root: ענה; Form: Adjective/noun masculine plural; Translation: “the humble” or “afflicted”; Notes: Those lowly in position or spirit.
- בְּאִמְרֵי־שֶׁ֔קֶר (be-imrei-sheqer) – Root: אמר + שׁקר; Form: Preposition + construct plural noun + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with words of falsehood”; Notes: Instrumental means of harm—deception through speech.
- וּבְדַבֵּ֥ר (u-ve-dabber) – Root: דבר; Form: Conjunction + Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “and in speaking”; Notes: Continues the means by which the wicked act.
- אֶבְיֹ֖ון (evyon) – Root: אבי; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “the poor”; Notes: One who is needy, destitute, vulnerable.
- מִשְׁפָּֽט (mishpat) – Root: שפט; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “justice” or “judgment”; Notes: That which is denied or distorted by the scoundrel’s false speech.