שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א זֹ֔את עַ֥ם סָכָ֖ל וְאֵ֣ין לֵ֑ב עֵינַ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א יִרְא֔וּ אָזְנַ֥יִם לָהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמָֽעוּ׃
‘Hear now this, O foolish people and without heart: eyes they have but they do not see, ears they have but they do not hear.
Morphology
- שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Hear”; Notes: A direct command to listen and understand.
- נָא (na) – Root: נא; Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “now”; Notes: Adds urgency or politeness to the imperative.
- זֹאת (zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the message to be heard.
- עַם (ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “people”; Notes: Subject of the statement, addressed directly.
- סָכָל (sakal) – Root: סכל; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “foolish”; Notes: Indicates a moral or spiritual deficiency, not just ignorance.
- וְאֵין (ve-ʾein) – Root: אין; Form: Negative existential particle with conjunction; Translation: “and without”; Notes: Used to denote absence or lack.
- לֵב (lev) – Root: לב; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “heart”; Notes: Symbolizes mind, understanding, or will in Hebrew anthropology.
- עֵינַיִם (ʿeinayim) – Root: עין; Form: Noun feminine dual; Translation: “eyes”; Notes: Dual form, referring to a pair of eyes.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “they have”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “but not”; Notes: Introduces contrast between having and functioning.
- יִרְאוּ (yirʾu) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they see”; Notes: Expresses habitual or expected action which is negated.
- אָזְנַיִם (oznayim) – Root: אוזן; Form: Noun feminine dual; Translation: “ears”; Notes: Another dual form referring to the pair.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “they have”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “but not”; Notes: Parallel structure with the previous clause.
- יִשְׁמָעוּ (yishmaʿu) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they hear”; Notes: Hearing here implies not just sound, but understanding and obedience.