אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה דְרָכַי֮ מֵחֲטֹ֪וא בִלְשֹׁ֫ונִ֥י אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה לְפִ֥י מַחְסֹ֑ום בְּעֹ֖ד רָשָׁ֣ע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃
I said, “I will keep my ways from sinning with my tongue; I will keep for my mouth a restraint, while the wicked is before me.”
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | אָמַרְתִּי | ʾamarti | “I said” | Qal perfect 1cs |
| 2 | אֶשְׁמְרָה | ʾeshmera | “I will keep” | Qal imperfect 1cs |
| 3 | דְרָכַי | derakhai | “my ways” | N(fp) + suff 1cs |
| 4 | מֵחֲטֹוא | me-ḥaṭoʾ | “from sinning” | Prep מִן + Qal inf. constr. |
| 5 | בִלְשֹׁונִי | bilshoni | “with my tongue” | Prep בְּ + N(fs) + suff 1cs |
| 6 | אֶשְׁמְרָה | ʾeshmera | “I will keep” | Qal imperfect 1cs |
| 7 | לְפִי | le-fi | “for my mouth” | Prep לְ + N(ms) + suff 1cs |
| 8 | מַחְסֹום | maḥsom | “a restraint” | N(ms) |
| 9 | בְּעֹוד | be-ʿod | “while” | Prep בְּ + adv. |
| 10 | רָשָׁע | rashaʿ | “wicked one” | N(ms) |
| 11 | לְנֶגְדִּי | le-negdi | “before me” | Prep לְ + N(ms) + suff 1cs |
Morphology
- אָמַרְתִּי (ʾamarti) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I said”; Notes: Opening declaration introducing intentional resolve.
- אֶשְׁמְרָה (ʾeshmera) – Root: שׁמר (shamar); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will keep”; Notes: Expresses future intention or resolve.
- דְרָכַי (derakhai) – Root: דרך (derekh); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my ways”; Notes: Refers to conduct or behavior.
- מֵחֲטֹוא (me-ḥaṭoʾ) – Root: חטא (ḥaṭaʾ); Root Type: III-Aleph; Binyan: Qal; Form: Preposition מִן + infinitive construct; Translation: “from sinning”; Notes: Indicates restraint from committing sin.
- בִלְשֹׁונִי (bilshoni) – Root: לשׁן (lashon); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “with my tongue”; Notes: Instrument of speech, highlighting verbal control.
- אֶשְׁמְרָה (ʾeshmera) – Root: שׁמר (shamar); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will keep”; Notes: Repetition intensifies determination.
- לְפִי (le-fi) – Root: פה (peh); Root Type: III-He; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “for my mouth”; Notes: Specifies the object of restraint.
- מַחְסֹום (maḥsom) – Root: חסם (ḥasam); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a restraint”; Notes: Literally a muzzle or barrier, metaphor for controlling speech.
- בְּעֹוד (be-ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Preposition בְּ + adverb; Translation: “while”; Notes: Indicates temporal condition.
- רָשָׁע (rashaʿ) – Root: רשׁע (rashaʿ); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “wicked one”; Notes: Represents opposition or moral threat.
- לְנֶגְדִּי (le-negdi) – Root: נגד (nagad); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “before me”; Notes: Indicates presence or confrontation.