נִבְעַ֤ר כָּל־אָדָם֙ מִדַּ֔עַת הֹבִ֥ישׁ כָּל־צֹרֵ֖ף מִפָּ֑סֶל כִּ֛י שֶׁ֥קֶר נִסְכֹּ֖ו וְלֹא־ר֥וּחַ בָּֽם׃
Every man is senseless without knowledge; every smith is put to shame by the idol, for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
Morphology
- נִבְעַר (nivʿar) – Root: בער; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “is senseless”; Notes: Expresses being brutish or devoid of reason.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “every/all”; Notes: Universal scope.
- אָדָם (adam) – Root: אדם; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “man”; Notes: Refers to humanity generally.
- מִדַּעַת (middaʿat) – Root: ידע; Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “without knowledge”; Notes: Indicates deficiency of wisdom or discernment.
- הֹבִישׁ (hovish) – Root: בושׁ; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “is put to shame”; Notes: Expresses humiliation or disgrace.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “every”; Notes: Emphasizes totality.
- צֹרֵף (tzoref) – Root: צרף; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “smith”; Notes: One who works metal, particularly in idol-making context.
- מִפָּסֶל (mi-phesel) – Root: פסל; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “by the idol”; Notes: Refers to carved or molten image.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- שֶׁקֶר (sheqer) – Root: שׁקר; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “falsehood”; Notes: Denotes deceit, unreality.
- נִסְכּוֹ (nisko) – Root: נסך; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his molten image”; Notes: Product of a smith’s casting work.
- וְלֹא־ (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Negates the following clause.
- רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח; Form: Noun common singular absolute; Translation: “breath/spirit”; Notes: Breath of life, vitality.
- בָּם (bam) – Root: —; Form: Preposition בְּ + third masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in them”; Notes: Refers to idols as lifeless objects.