אַ֣לְלַי לִ֗י כִּ֤י הָיִ֨יתִי֙ כְּאָסְפֵּי־קַ֔יִץ כְּעֹלְלֹ֖ת בָּצִ֑יר אֵין־אֶשְׁכֹּ֣ול לֶאֱכֹ֔ול בִּכּוּרָ֖ה אִוְּתָ֥ה נַפְשִֽׁי׃
Alas for me, for I have become like the gatherers of summer fruit, like the gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat, the first-ripe one my soul desired.
Morphology
- אַ֣לְלַי (ʾallay) — Root: אלל (ʾ-l-l); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Alas”; Notes: Cry of lament expressing distress.
- לִי (li) — Root: ל + אני (ʾ-n-y); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 1cs; Translation: “for me”; Notes: Intensifies the personal lament.
- כִּי (ki) — Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for lament.
- הָיִיתִי (hayiti) — Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal perfect 1cs; Translation: “I have become”; Notes: Describes a present condition resulting from past events.
- כְּאָסְפֵּי (ke-ʾosphei) — Root: אסף (ʾ-s-f); Form: Preposition כְּ + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “like the gatherers of”; Notes: Comparison to harvest workers.
- קַיִץ (qayits) — Root: קיץ (q-y-ts); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “summer fruit”; Notes: Late-season produce, often scarce.
- כְּעֹלְלֹת (ke-ʿolelot) — Root: עלל (ʿ-l-l); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “like the gleanings”; Notes: Refers to leftover grapes after harvest—meager remains.
- בָּצִיר (batsir) — Root: בציר (b-ṣ-y-r); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “vintage”; Notes: The complete grape harvest.
- אֵין (ʾein) — Root: אין (ʾ-y-n); Form: Negative existential; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Indicates complete absence.
- אֶשְׁכֹּל (ʾeshkol) — Root: אשכול (ʾ-sh-k-l); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “cluster”; Notes: Grape cluster—symbol of abundance.
- לֶאֱכֹל (le-ekhol) — Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive; Translation: “to eat”; Notes: Indicates intended purpose lacking fulfillment.
- בִּכּוּרָה (bikkurah) — Root: בכר (b-k-r); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “first-ripe fruit”; Notes: Represents the most desirable portion.
- אִוְּתָה (ivvetah) — Root: אוה (ʾ-w-h); Form: Piel perfect 3fs; Translation: “desired”; Notes: Subject is נַפְשִׁי, a feminine noun.
- נַפְשִׁי (nafshi) — Root: נפשׁ (n-p-sh); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 1cs; Translation: “my soul”; Notes: Expresses deep inner longing.