הֵ֤ן גֹּויִם֙ כְּמַ֣ר מִדְּלִ֔י וּכְשַׁ֥חַק מֹאזְנַ֖יִם נֶחְשָׁ֑בוּ הֵ֥ן אִיִּ֖ים כַּדַּ֥ק יִטֹּֽול׃
Behold, the nations are as a drop from a bucket, and are reckoned as dust on the scales; behold, islands He lifts like fine dust.
Morphology
- הֵן (hen) – Root: הן; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to what follows; emphatic particle.
- גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי; Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Generic reference to the non-Yisraʾelite peoples.
- כְּמַר (ke-mar) – Root: מרר; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as a drop”; Notes: “Mar” refers to a tiny amount of liquid, such as a drop.
- מִדְּלִי (mi-ddeli) – Root: דלָה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “from a bucket”; Notes: Indicates the source from which the drop falls.
- וּכְשַׁחַק (u-keshaḥaq) – Root: שׁחק; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and as fine dust”; Notes: Denotes something extremely light and insignificant.
- מֹאזְנַיִם (moʾznayim) – Root: אזן; Form: Dual noun masculine in construct; Translation: “of scales”; Notes: Refers to a balance or measuring scale.
- נֶחְשָׁבוּ (neḥshavu) – Root: חשב; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “are reckoned”; Notes: Passive form, expressing evaluation or estimation.
- הֵן (hen) – Root: הן; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Repeated to emphasize what follows.
- אִיִּים (iyyim) – Root: אי; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “islands” or “coastlands”; Notes: Often refers to distant lands or nations far off across the sea.
- כַּדַּק (ka-daq) – Root: דקק; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like fine dust”; Notes: Emphasizes insignificance and weightlessness.
- יִטֹּול (yiṭṭol) – Root: נטל; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He lifts”; Notes: Refers to divine power lifting even the remotest places as light dust.