לָ֣מָּה תַתְעֵ֤נוּ יְהוָה֙ מִדְּרָכֶ֔יךָ תַּקְשִׁ֥יחַ לִבֵּ֖נוּ מִיִּרְאָתֶ֑ךָ שׁ֚וּב לְמַ֣עַן עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ שִׁבְטֵ֖י נַחֲלָתֶֽךָ׃
Why do You make us wander, YHWH, from Your ways? You harden our heart from fearing You. Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your inheritance.
Morphology
- לָ֣מָּה (lammah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative particle with prefixed לְ; Translation: “Why?”; Notes: Expresses lament or questioning of divine action.
- תַתְעֵ֤נוּ (tatʿeinu) – Root: תעה (taʿah); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “do You cause us to wander”; Notes: Indicates causative divine action, possibly judgmental or permissive.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Directly addresses God by His covenantal name.
- מִדְּרָכֶ֔יךָ (mi-derakhekha) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from Your ways”; Notes: “Ways” as a metaphor for divine paths or commandments.
- תַּקְשִׁ֥יחַ (taqshiaḥ) – Root: קשׁח (qashach); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “do You harden”; Notes: Causative of “to be hard,” referring here to inner resistance.
- לִבֵּ֖נוּ (libbeinu) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our heart”; Notes: Heart as seat of will and responsiveness to God.
- מִיִּרְאָתֶ֑ךָ (mi-yirʾatekha) – Root: ירא (yareʾ); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from fearing You”; Notes: Reverence toward God, which is hindered by hardness of heart.
- שׁ֚וּב (shuv) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Return”; Notes: A plea for divine re-engagement or restoration.
- לְמַ֣עַן (le-maʿan) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “for the sake of”; Notes: Introduces the motive for the request.
- עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ (ʿavadekha) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Noun masculine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Your servants”; Notes: Refers to the people of YHWH in a covenantal context.
- שִׁבְטֵ֖י (shivtei) – Root: שׁבט (shevet); Form: Construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “the tribes of”; Notes: Refers to the twelve tribes of Yisraʾel.
- נַחֲלָתֶֽךָ (naḥalatekha) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Noun feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Your inheritance”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel as YHWH’s portion or possession.