נָמ֤וּ רֹעֶ֨יךָ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ אַדִּירֶ֑יךָ נָפֹ֧שׁוּ עַמְּךָ֛ עַל־הֶהָרִ֖ים וְאֵ֥ין מְקַבֵּֽץ׃
Your shepherds have slumbered O king of Ashshur. Your nobles dwell inert. Your people are scattered on the mountains and no one gathers them.
Morphology
- נָמוּ (namu) — Root: נם (nam); Form: Qal perfect 3cp; Translation: “have slumbered”; Notes: A metaphor for leaders who have become inactive or powerless.
- רֹעֶיךָ (roʿekha) — Root: רעע (raʿah); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2ms; Translation: “your shepherds”; Notes: Refers to the leaders or officials of the king.
- מֶלֶךְ (melekh) — Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “king”; Notes: A direct address to the king.
- אַשּׁוּר (Ashur) — Root: אשׁר (ʾashar); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Ashur”; Notes: Name of the Assyrian empire.
- יִשְׁכְּנוּ (yishkenu) — Root: שׁכן (shakan); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “dwell”; Notes: Here implies lying still or remaining inactive.
- אַדִּירֶיךָ (addirékha) — Root: אדר (adar); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2ms; Translation: “your nobles”; Notes: High-ranking officials of the kingdom.
- נָפֹשׁוּ (nafoshu) — Root: נפשׁ (nafash); Form: Qal perfect 3cp; Translation: “are scattered”; Notes: Often describes dispersal after defeat.
- עַמְּךָ (ʿammekha) — Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 2ms; Translation: “your people”; Notes: Refers to the nation as a whole.
- עַל (ʿal) — Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “on”; Notes: Introduces the location of their dispersal.
- הֶהָרִים (he-harim) — Root: הר (har); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “the mountains”; Notes: Symbolic of defeat and flight.
- וְאֵין (ve-en) — Root: אין (ʾen); Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “and there is no”; Notes: Indicates total absence.
- מְקַבֵּץ (meqabbets) — Root: קבץ (qavats); Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “one who gathers”; Notes: No one remains to reunite the scattered people.