מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃ אֱלֹהִ֤ים בְּאָזְנֵ֬ינוּ שָׁמַ֗עְנוּ אֲבֹותֵ֥ינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָ֑נוּ פֹּ֥עַל פָּעַ֥לְתָּ בִֽ֝ימֵיהֶ֗ם בִּ֣ימֵי קֶֽדֶם׃
A maskil. O God, with our ears we have heard; our fathers have recounted to us the deed You worked in their days, in days of old.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מַשְׂכִּיל | maskil | “a maskil” | Hiphil participle ms (substantive) |
| 2 | אֱלֹהִים | ʾElohim | “God” | N(mp) |
| 3 | בְּאָזְנֵינוּ | be-ʾozneinu | “with our ears” | Prep בְ + N(fp) + suff 1cp |
| 4 | שָׁמַעְנוּ | shamaʿnu | “we have heard” | Qal perfect 1cp |
| 5 | אֲבֹותֵינוּ | ʾavoteinu | “our fathers” | N(mp) + suff 1cp |
| 6 | סִפְּרוּ־לָנוּ | sipperu-lanu | “they recounted to us” | Piel perfect 3mp + Prep לְ + suff 1cp |
| 7 | פֹּעַל | poʿal | “deed” | N(ms) |
| 8 | פָּעַלְתָּ | paʿalta | “You worked” | Qal perfect 2ms |
| 9 | בִימֵיהֶם | bimehem | “in their days” | Prep בְ + N(mp) + suff 3mp |
| 10 | בִּימֵי | bimei | “in days of” | Prep בְ + N(mp construct) |
| 11 | קֶדֶם | qedem | “old” | N(ms) |
Morphology
- מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) – Root: שׂכל (ś-k-l); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Participle masculine singular used substantively; Translation: “a maskil”; Notes: Indicates an instructive or contemplative composition.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾElohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: Refers to the one true God in plural form of majesty.
- בְּאָזְנֵינוּ (be-ʾozneinu) – Root: אזן (ʾ-z-n); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Preposition בְ + noun feminine plural + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “with our ears”; Notes: Expresses personal reception of the tradition.
- שָׁמַעְנוּ (shamaʿnu) – Root: שׁמע (sh-m-ʿ); Root Type: III-Guttural (ע); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 1st person common plural; Translation: “we have heard”; Notes: Indicates completed action of hearing.
- אֲבֹותֵינוּ (ʾavoteinu) – Root: אב (ʾ-b); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “our fathers”; Notes: Refers to previous generations.
- סִפְּרוּ־לָנוּ (sipperu-lanu) – Root: ספר (s-p-r); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Piel; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine plural + preposition לְ + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “they recounted to us”; Notes: Indicates deliberate narration of past acts.
- פֹּעַל (poʿal) – Root: פעל (p-ʿ-l); Root Type: II-Guttural (ע); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “deed”; Notes: Refers to an act or work done.
- פָּעַלְתָּ (paʿalta) – Root: פעל (p-ʿ-l); Root Type: II-Guttural (ע); Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You worked”; Notes: Attributes the action directly to God.
- בִימֵיהֶם (bimehem) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “in their days”; Notes: Specifies the historical time.
- בִּימֵי (bimei) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine plural construct (state: construct); Translation: “in days of”; Notes: Links to the following noun.
- קֶדֶם (qedem) – Root: קדם (q-d-m); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “old”; Notes: Refers to ancient times.