כִּ֣י לֹ֥א שְׁאֹ֛ול תֹּודֶ֖ךָּ מָ֣וֶת יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּ לֹֽא־יְשַׂבְּר֥וּ יֹֽורְדֵי־בֹ֖ור אֶל־אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃
For Sheʾol does not thank You; death does not praise You. Those who go down to the Pit do not hope for Your truth.
Morphology
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces an explanation or reason.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the following actions.
- שְׁאֹ֛ול (Sheʾol) – Root: שׁאל (possibly); Form: Proper noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Sheʾol”; Notes: The underworld, realm of the dead in Hebrew thought.
- תֹּודֶ֖ךָּ (todekha) – Root: ידה (yadah); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “thank You”; Notes: The subject is *Sheʾol*, personified.
- מָ֣וֶת (mavet) – Root: מות (mavet); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “death”; Notes: Paralleled with Sheʾol as personified force.
- יְהַלְלֶ֑ךָּ (yehallekha) – Root: הלל (halal); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “praise You”; Notes: Intensified verb form for exuberant praise.
- לֹֽא־יְשַׂבְּר֥וּ (lo-yesabberu) – Root: שׂבר (sabar); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with negative particle; Translation: “they do not hope”; Notes: “Hope” here conveys active expectation or trust.
- יֹֽורְדֵי־בֹ֖ור (yordei-bor) – Root: ירד (yarad), בור (bor); Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “those who go down to the Pit”; Notes: Refers to the dead or dying; “Pit” as poetic synonym for grave.
- אֶל־אֲמִתֶּֽךָ (el-amittekha) – Root: אמת (ʾemet); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for Your truth”; Notes: Refers to God’s faithfulness or reliability, often linked to covenant loyalty.