כִּכְלוּב֙ מָ֣לֵא עֹ֔וף כֵּ֥ן בָּתֵּיהֶ֖ם מְלֵאִ֣ים מִרְמָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֥ן גָּדְל֖וּ וַֽיַּעֲשִֽׁירוּ׃
Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit; therefore they have become great and have grown rich.
Morphology
- כִּכְלוּב (ki-keluv) – Root: כלוב; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a cage”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing houses to a birdcage.
- מָלֵא (male) – Root: מלא; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “full”; Notes: Describes the cage’s contents.
- עֹוף (ʿof) – Root: עוף; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “bird”; Notes: Collective term for flying creatures.
- כֵּן (ken) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Draws the analogy between the cage and the houses.
- בָּתֵּיהֶם (batteihem) – Root: בית; Form: Noun masculine plural with 3mp suffix; Translation: “their houses”; Notes: Possessive form referring to the wicked men.
- מְלֵאִים (meleʾim) – Root: מלא; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are full”; Notes: Parallel to the birdcage’s fullness.
- מִרְמָה (mirmah) – Root: רמה; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “deceit”; Notes: Indicates treachery or fraud, the metaphorical contents of their homes.
- עַל־כֵּן (ʿal-ken) – Root: כן; Form: Preposition עַל + demonstrative adverb; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Indicates consequence.
- גָּדְלוּ (gadelu) – Root: גדל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have become great”; Notes: Suggests growth in prominence or status.
- וַיַּעֲשִׁירוּ (va-yaʿashiru) – Root: עשר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they have grown rich”; Notes: Highlights their increase in wealth, gained through deceit.