אָבַ֤ד חָסִיד֙ מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְיָשָׁ֥ר בָּאָדָ֖ם אָ֑יִן כֻּלָּם֙ לְדָמִ֣ים יֶאֱרֹ֔בוּ אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־אָחִ֖יהוּ יָצ֥וּדוּ חֵֽרֶם׃
The faithful one has perished from the earth, and the upright among mankind is not; all of them lie in wait for bloodshed, each hunts his brother with a ban.
Morphology
- אָבַד (avad) — Root: אבד (ʾ-b-d); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “has perished”; Notes: Indicates complete disappearance.
- חָסִיד (ḥasid) — Root: חסד (ḥ-s-d); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “faithful one”; Notes: Refers to one loyal in covenantal righteousness.
- מִן (min) — Root: מן (m-n); Form: Preposition; Translation: “from”; Notes: Marks removal or absence from a location.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-arets) — Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth / the land”; Notes: Probably refers to the land of Yisraʾel.
- וְיָשָׁר (ve-yashar) — Root: ישר (y-sh-r); Form: Conjunction וְ + adjective masculine singular; Translation: “and the upright”; Notes: Moral integrity is missing.
- בָּאָדָם (ba-adam) — Root: אדם (ʾ-d-m); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “among mankind”; Notes: Indicates all humanity within the land.
- אָיִן (ayin) — Root: אין (ʾ-y-n); Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there is not”; Notes: Stresses absolute absence.
- כֻּלָּם (kullam) — Root: כל (k-l); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3mp; Translation: “all of them”; Notes: Total group participation in wrongdoing.
- לְדָמִים (le-damim) — Root: דם (d-m); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “for bloodshed”; Notes: Violent intent.
- יֶאֱרֹבוּ (yeʾerovu) — Root: ארב (ʾ-r-b); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they lie in wait”; Notes: Ambush imagery reflects predatory behavior.
- אִישׁ (ish) — Root: אישׁ (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “each man”; Notes: Individual culpability.
- אֶת (ʾet) — Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks the following noun as object.
- אָחִיהוּ (aḥiv) — Root: אח (ʾ-ḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his brother”; Notes: Highlights betrayal of close kin.
- יָצ֥וּדוּ (yatsudu) — Root: צוד (ts-w-d); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they hunt”; Notes: Predatory pursuit with malicious intent.
- חֵרֶם (ḥerem) — Root: חרם (ḥ-r-m); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “ban / devoted destruction”; Notes: Possibly means “by a net,” or “with a ban”—a term for something devoted to destruction.