וְעַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה קַח־נָ֥א אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִמֶּ֑נִּי כִּ֛י טֹ֥וב מֹותִ֖י מֵחַיָּֽי׃ ס
And now, YHWH, take please my life from me, for my death is better than my life.”
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces an urgent, emotional appeal.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Direct address to the covenant God.
- קַח (qaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “take”; Notes: Yonah’s plea for divine action.
- נָא (na) – Root: נא (na); Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “please”; Notes: Softens the imperative, expressing desperation.
- אֶת (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks “my life” as the direct object of “take.”
- נַפְשִׁי (nafshi) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 1cs; Translation: “my life”; Notes: Refers to Yonah’s very being.
- מִמֶּנִּי (mimmenni) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition מִן + doubled nun + suffix 1cs; Translation: “from me”; Notes: Marks separation—he wants his life removed.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason for the request.
- טֹוב (tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “better”; Notes: Comparative sense implied by context.
- מֹותִי (moti) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1cs; Translation: “my death”; Notes: Yonah contrasts his state of being alive.
- מֵחַיָּי (me-ḥayyay) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural + suffix 1cs; Translation: “than my life”; Notes: Completes the comparison—death preferable to continuing existence.