לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבֹּו אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִֽשְׁחִ֗יתוּ הִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עֲלִילָ֗ה אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־טֹֽוב׃
For the Chief. Of Dawid. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They have corrupted themselves. They have made abominable deed. There is none doing good.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לַמְנַצֵּחַ | lamnaṣṣeaḥ | “for the Chief” | Prep לְ + Def. art. הַ + Piel participle ms |
| 2 | לְדָוִד | le-Dawid | “of Dawid” | Prep לְ + proper noun |
| 3 | אָמַר | ʾamar | “he says” | Qal perfect 3ms |
| 4 | נָבָל | naval | “fool” | N ms |
| 5 | בְּלִבֹּו | be-libbo | “in his heart” | Prep בְּ + N ms + suff 3ms |
| 6 | אֵין | ʾein | “there is no” | Negative existential particle |
| 7 | אֱלֹהִים | ʾElohim | “God” | N mp |
| 8 | הִשְׁחִיתוּ | hishḥitu | “they have corrupted” | Hiphil perfect 3mp |
| 9 | הִתְעִיבוּ | hitʿivu | “they have made abominable” | Hiphil perfect 3mp |
| 10 | עֲלִילָה | ʿalilah | “deed” | N fs |
| 11 | אֵין | ʾein | “there is none” | Negative existential particle |
| 12 | עֹשֵׂה | ʿoseh | “doing” | Qal participle ms |
| 13 | טֹוב | ṭov | “good” | Adj ms |
Morphology
- לַמְנַצֵּחַ (lamnaṣṣeaḥ) – Root: נצח (naṣaḥ); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Piel; Form: Preposition לְ + definite article הַ + Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “For the Chief”; Notes: A superscriptional term referring to the musical director or chief overseer.
- לְדָוִד (le-Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Root Type: Proper noun; Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “of Dawid”; Notes: The preposition may indicate authorship, dedication, or association.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he says”; Notes: The perfect here introduces the fool’s settled declaration.
- נָבָל (naval) – Root: נבל (naval); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “fool”; Notes: Denotes a morally perverse person, not merely one lacking intelligence.
- בְּלִבֹּו (be-libbo) – Root: לבב (levav); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “in his heart”; Notes: Refers to the inner thought-world or settled disposition of the fool.
- אֵין (ʾein) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle; Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Denies existence in an absolute way.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾElohim) – Root: אלה (ʾelah); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: Though morphologically plural, here it refers to the singular God.
- הִשְׁחִיתוּ (hishḥitu) – Root: שׁחת (shaḥat); Root Type: III-Guttural (ת); Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have corrupted”; Notes: The plural shifts from the individual fool to corrupt people generally.
- הִתְעִיבוּ (hitʿivu) – Root: תעב (taʿav); Root Type: II-Guttural (ע); Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have made abominable”; Notes: Describes their actions as detestable and offensive.
- עֲלִילָה (ʿalilah) – Root: עלל (ʿalal); Root Type: I-Guttural (ע); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “deed”; Notes: Refers to conduct or practice, here qualified by the previous verb as abominable.
- אֵין (ʾein) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle; Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there is none”; Notes: Repeats the existential negation for emphasis.
- עֹשֵׂה (ʿoseh) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Root Type: I-Guttural (ע); Binyan: Qal; Form: Participle masculine singular; Translation: “doing”; Notes: The participle expresses habitual or characteristic action.
- טֹוב (ṭov) – Root: טוב (ṭov); Root Type: Hollow (II-Waw); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: Refers to what is morally good and upright.