יָבֵ֤שׁ חָצִיר֙ נָ֣בֵֽל צִ֔יץ כִּ֛י ר֥וּחַ יְהוָ֖ה נָ֣שְׁבָה בֹּ֑ו אָכֵ֥ן חָצִ֖יר הָעָֽם׃
Grass withers, the flower fades, for the breath of YHWH has blown upon it; surely the people is grass.
Morphology
- יָבֵשׁ (yavesh) – Root: יבש; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “withers”; Notes: Refers to grass, indicating decay or impermanence.
- חָצִיר (ḥatsir) – Root: חציר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “grass”; Notes: Symbol of human frailty and transience.
- נָבֵל (navel) – Root: נבל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “fades”; Notes: Refers to the flower; like grass, it loses its beauty.
- צִיץ (tsits) – Root: צוץ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “flower”; Notes: Reinforces the image of fleeting life and beauty.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the withering and fading.
- רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “breath” or “wind”; Notes: May refer to the spirit or wind of YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה; Form: Proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine source of the breath or wind affecting creation.
- נָשְׁבָה (nashvah) – Root: נשב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has blown”; Notes: Feminine agreement with רוּחַ, completing the reason clause.
- בֹּו (bo) – Root: בוא; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “upon it”; Notes: Refers to either grass or flower (or humanity generally).
- אָכֵן (akhen) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “surely”; Notes: Emphatic particle affirming the statement that follows.
- חָצִיר (ḥatsir) – Root: חציר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “grass”; Notes: Repetition reinforces the image of mortality.
- הָעָם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Final declaration equating humanity with grass, under divine breath.