כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֜עְתִּי דִּבַּ֣ת רַבִּים֮ מָגֹ֣ור מִסָּבִיב֒ הַגִּ֨ידוּ֙ וְנַגִּידֶ֔נּוּ כֹּ֚ל אֱנֹ֣ושׁ שְׁלֹומִ֔י שֹׁמְרֵ֖י צַלְעִ֑י אוּלַ֤י יְפֻתֶּה֙ וְנ֣וּכְלָה לֹ֔ו וְנִקְחָ֥ה נִקְמָתֵ֖נוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
For I have heard the slander of many, “Terror on every side! Report, and let us report him.” All the men of my peace are watching for my stumbling: “Perhaps he will be enticed, and we shall prevail over him, and we shall take our vengeance on him.”
Morphology
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces reason or cause.
- שָׁמַ֜עְתִּי (shamaʿti) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have heard”; Notes: Refers to the prophet’s awareness of threats.
- דִּבַּ֣ת (dibbath) – Root: דבב; Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “slander of”; Notes: Often denotes evil report or defamation.
- רַבִּים֮ (rabbim) – Root: רבב; Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Modifies “slander.”
- מָגֹ֣ור (magor) – Root: גור; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “terror”; Notes: Often associated with sudden fear or panic.
- מִסָּבִיב֒ (missaviv) – Root: סבב; Form: Preposition + noun; Translation: “on every side”; Notes: Indicates encircling threat.
- הַגִּ֨ידוּ֙ (haggidu) – Root: נגד; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person plural masculine; Translation: “Report!”; Notes: A call to inform or accuse.
- וְנַגִּידֶ֔נּוּ (venaggidennu) – Root: נגד; Form: Hifil cohortative 1st person plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and let us report him”; Notes: Deliberate plan of denunciation.
- כֹּ֚ל (kol) – Root: כלל; Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “All of”; Notes: Introduces the group acting.
- אֱנֹ֣ושׁ (ʾenosh) – Root: אנש; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Generic term for human, emphasizes frailty.
- שְׁלֹומִ֔י (shelomi) – Root: שלום; Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my peace”; Notes: Refers to friends or allies.
- שֹׁמְרֵ֖י (shomerei) – Root: שמר; Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “watchers of”; Notes: Indicates surveillance or vigilance.
- צַלְעִ֑י (tsalʿi) – Root: צלע; Form: Noun, feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my stumbling”; Notes: Refers to anticipated downfall or weakness.
- אוּלַ֤י (ʾulai) – Root: אולי; Form: Particle; Translation: “Perhaps”; Notes: Introduces a hope or possibility.
- יְפֻתֶּה֙ (yefutteh) – Root: פתה; Form: Pual imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he will be enticed”; Notes: Passive verb implying deception.
- וְנ֣וּכְלָה (venukhla) – Root: יכל; Form: Nifal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and we shall prevail”; Notes: Implies overcoming or defeating.
- לֹ֔ו (lo) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “over him”; Notes: Directional object.
- וְנִקְחָ֥ה (veniqḥah) – Root: נקם; Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and we shall take”; Notes: Expresses strong intention.
- נִקְמָתֵ֖נוּ (niqmateinu) – Root: נקם; Form: Noun, feminine singular construct + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our vengeance”; Notes: Carries retributive connotation.
- מִמֶּֽנּוּ (mimmennu) – Root: מן; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from him”; Notes: Marks source of retaliation.