אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה נָ֤תַן לִי֙ לְשֹׁ֣ון לִמּוּדִ֔ים לָדַ֛עַת לָע֥וּת אֶת־יָעֵ֖ף דָּבָ֑ר יָעִ֣יר בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֗קֶר יָעִ֥יר לִי֙ אֹ֔זֶן לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ כַּלִּמּוּדִֽים׃
My Lord YHWH has given me the tongue of those who are taught, to know how to help the weary with a word; He awakens morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
Morphology
- אֲדֹנָ֣י (ʾAdonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix (used reverentially); Translation: “My Lord”; Notes: Often used as a title of divine majesty.
- יְהֹוִ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper name of the God of Yisraʾel; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Tetragrammaton, often paired with “ʾAdonai.”
- נָ֤תַן (natan) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has given”; Notes: Refers to divine endowment.
- לִי (li) – Root: לי; Form: Preposition לְ + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of YHWH’s gift.
- לְשֹׁ֣ון (le-shon) – Root: לשׁן (lashon); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the tongue”; Notes: Symbolic of speech or communication ability.
- לִמּוּדִ֔ים (limmudim) – Root: למד (lamad); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “those who are taught”; Notes: Refers to disciples or instructed ones; modifies “tongue.”
- לָדַ֛עַת (la-daʿat) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to know”; Notes: Purpose clause—why the gift was given.
- לָע֥וּת (laʿut) – Root: עות (ʿut); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to help”; Notes: Archaic verb meaning “to aid” or “sustain.”
- אֶת־יָעֵ֖ף (et-yaʿef) – Root: יעף (yaʿef); Form: Particle אֶת + adjective/noun masculine singular; Translation: “the weary”; Notes: Refers to one in need of encouragement or strength.
- דָּבָ֑ר (davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a word”; Notes: Object of the action “to help with.”
- יָעִ֣יר (yaʿir) – Root: עור (ʿur); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He awakens”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s continual action, intensified by Hifil.
- בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֗קֶר (ba-boqer ba-boqer) – Root: בקר (boqer); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular, repeated for emphasis; Translation: “morning by morning”; Notes: Indicates habitual, ongoing action.
- יָעִ֥יר (yaʿir) – Root: עור (ʿur); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He awakens”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes consistency in divine instruction.
- לִי (li) – Root: לי; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for me”; Notes: Marks the object of awakening.
- אֹזֶן (ozen) – Root: אזן (ozen); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “an ear”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to receptivity to divine speech.
- לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ (lishmoaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “to hear”; Notes: Purpose of YHWH’s action—enabling attentiveness.
- כַּלִּמּוּדִֽים (ka-limmudim) – Root: למד (lamad); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “as those who are taught”; Notes: Expresses the manner of listening—with trained obedience.