הִנֵּ֣ה כַּעֲנָנִ֣ים יַעֲלֶ֗ה וְכַסּוּפָה֙ מַרְכְּבֹותָ֔יו קַלּ֥וּ מִנְּשָׁרִ֖ים סוּסָ֑יו אֹ֥וי לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י שֻׁדָּֽדְנוּ׃
“Behold, like clouds he shall ascend, and like the whirlwind are his chariots; swifter than eagles are his horses. Woe to us, for we have been plundered!”
Morphology
- הִנֵּ֣ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Used to draw attention to a dramatic or imminent event.
- כַּעֲנָנִ֣ים (kaʿananim) – Root: ענן (ʿanan); Form: Preposition כְּ + plural noun masculine; Translation: “like clouds”; Notes: Simile indicating the approach is massive and covering.
- יַעֲלֶ֗ה (yaʿaleh) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall ascend”; Notes: Describes movement upward or advance of the enemy.
- וְכַסּוּפָה֙ (ve-ka-sefufah) – Root: סוף (suf); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and like the whirlwind”; Notes: Another simile describing fierce motion of his chariots.
- מַרְכְּבֹותָ֔יו (markevotav) – Root: רכב (r-k-b); Form: Noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his chariots”; Notes: Vehicle of war, emphasizing force and mobility.
- קַלּ֥וּ (kallu) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they are swifter”; Notes: Describes the horses’ superior speed.
- מִנְּשָׁרִ֖ים (min-nesharim) – Root: נשר (nesher); Form: Preposition מִן + plural noun masculine; Translation: “than eagles”; Notes: Eagles as symbols of speed and power in flight.
- סוּסָ֑יו (susav) – Root: סוס (sus); Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his horses”; Notes: The military power driving the invasion.
- אֹ֥וי (oy) – Root: Interjection; Form: Exclamatory particle; Translation: “Woe!”; Notes: Expression of anguish or impending doom.
- לָ֖נוּ (lanu) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition לְ + first person plural suffix; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Marks the suffering or impact upon the speaker and group.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for lamentation.
- שֻׁדָּֽדְנוּ (shuddadnu) – Root: שׁדד (shadad); Form: Pual perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have been plundered”; Notes: Passive intensive form expressing total devastation.