וְאֹותִ֗י יֹ֥ום יֹום֙ יִדְרֹשׁ֔וּן וְדַ֥עַת דְּרָכַ֖י יֶחְפָּצ֑וּן כְּגֹ֞וי אֲשֶׁר־צְדָקָ֣ה עָשָׂ֗ה וּמִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֱלֹהָיו֙ לֹ֣א עָזָ֔ב יִשְׁאָל֨וּנִי֙ מִשְׁפְּטֵי־צֶ֔דֶק קִרְבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים יֶחְפָּצֽוּן׃
And Me they seek day by day, and they desire to know My ways, like a nation that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the judgment of its God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they desire the nearness of God.
Morphology
- וְאֹותִי (veʾoti) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and Me”; Notes: Emphasizes the object of seeking—YHWH.
- יֹום יֹום (yom yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun repeated for emphasis; Translation: “day by day”; Notes: Expresses continual or habitual action.
- יִדְרֹשׁוּן (yidroshun) – Root: דרשׁ (darash); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with 1st person suffix; Translation: “they seek [Me]”; Notes: Often used for seeking God’s will or presence.
- וְדַעַת (ve-daʿat) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular (infinitive or abstract); Translation: “and knowledge”; Notes: Introduces what they desire.
- דְּרָכַי (derakhai) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My ways”; Notes: Refers to divine paths or instructions.
- יֶחְפָּצ֑וּן (yekhpatzun) – Root: חפץ (ḥafetz); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they desire”; Notes: Indicates longing or delight in God’s ways.
- כְּגֹוי (ke-goy) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a nation”; Notes: Introduces a comparison to apparent piety.
- אֲשֶׁר־צְדָקָה עָשָׂה (asher-tsedaqah ʿasah) – Roots: אשר (asher), צדק (tsedeq), עשה (ʿasah); Form: Relative pronoun + noun feminine singular + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “that has done righteousness”; Notes: Expresses apparent upright conduct.
- וּמִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהָיו לֹא עָזָב (u-mishpat ʾelohav lo ʿazav) – Roots: שׁפט (shafat), אלה (ʾelohim), עזב (ʿazav); Form: Conjunction + noun + noun + negative + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and the judgment of its God it has not forsaken”; Notes: Describes external religiosity, though likely ironic.
- יִשְׁאָל֨וּנִי (yishʾaluni) – Root: שׁאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they ask Me”; Notes: Seeking legal or moral guidance from YHWH.
- מִשְׁפְּטֵי־צֶדֶק (mishpetei-tsedeq) – Roots: שׁפט (shafat), צדק (tsedeq); Form: Construct plural + noun masculine singular; Translation: “righteous judgments”; Notes: Describes what they desire from God—justice that is morally right.
- קִרְבַת אֱלֹהִים (kirvat ʾelohim) – Root: קרב (qarav), אלה (ʾelohim); Form: Construct noun feminine singular + noun; Translation: “the nearness of God”; Notes: Spiritual closeness or intimacy with YHWH.
- יֶחְפָּצֽוּן (yekhpatzun) – Root: חפץ (ḥafetz); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they desire”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis—shows apparent sincerity.