אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ׃
A human in honor, and he does not understand; he is likened to the beasts, they are like.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | אָדָם | ʾadam | “human” | N(ms) |
| 2 | בִּיקָר | biqar | “in honor” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) |
| 3 | וְלֹא | ve-loʾ | “and not” | Conj וְ + Neg. |
| 4 | יָבִין | yavin | “he understands” | Hiphil imperfect 3ms |
| 5 | נִמְשַׁל | nimshal | “he is likened” | Nifal perfect 3ms |
| 6 | כַּבְּהֵמֹות | ka-behemot | “like the beasts” | Prep כְּ + N(fp) |
| 7 | נִדְמֽוּ | nidmu | “they are like” | Nifal perfect 3mp |
Morphology
- אָדָם (ʾadam) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “human”; Notes: Refers generically to mankind, emphasizing human status rather than a specific individual. It highlights the irony: he is an Adam (made in the image of God), yet because he lacks understanding, he ends up like a Behemah (a beast).
- בִּיקָר (biqar) – Root: יקר (y-q-r); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in honor”; Notes: Indicates a state or condition of dignity, wealth, or esteem. Yaqar means precious, costly, or magnificent. It describes someone living in luxury or high social standing.
- וְלֹא (ve-loʾ) – Root: לא (loʾ); Root Type: Particle (Strong); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Connects clauses while negating the following verb.
- יָבִין (yavin) – Root: בין (bin); Root Type: Hollow; Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he understands”; Notes: Expresses cognitive discernment; here negated, highlighting lack of insight. This is the hinge of the verse. It isn’t wealth itself that is the problem; it is the lack of discernment (binah). He doesn’t understand that his life is temporary and his “glory” is an illusion.
- נִמְשַׁל (nimshal) – Root: משל (m-sh-l); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Nifal; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he is likened”; Notes: Passive/reflexive sense, indicating comparison or equivalence. The verb נִמְשַׁל (from mashal) means to be compared to or to become like. By lacking understanding, the “human” loses the very thing that distinguishes them from an animal.
- כַּבְּהֵמֹות (ka-behemot) – Root: בהם (b-h-m); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “like the beasts”; Notes: The comparison emphasizes lack of understanding, equating humans with animals.
- נִדְמֽוּ (nidmu) – Root: דמה (d-m-h); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Nifal; Form: Perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they are like”; Notes: Final clause generalizes the statement, affirming that such humans resemble beasts. While נִדְמֽוּ can mean “to be like/resemble,” it also carries a second, darker meaning in Hebrew: “to be silenced” or “to perish.” The Hebrew phrase נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ is a bit tricky. Let’s break it down:- נִמְשַׁ֖ל — “is likened” / “is compared.”
– כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות — “to the beasts.”
– נִדְמֽוּ — from the root דמה, meaning “to resemble,” “to be like,” or “to be assimilated.” In this form (Nifal perfect, 3rd person plural), it literally means “they were made like” or “they became similar.”So the final clause is not “they are like” in the simple present sense, but rather “they were made like” or “they have become like.”Editorial contrast:
– Literal rendering: “he is likened to the beasts, they are like.”
– Idiomatic rendering: “he is compared to the beasts that perish.” (Many translations smooth it this way, since נִדְמוּ can also carry the nuance of “perish” or “be destroyed.”). “A closer rendering than the present-tense “they are like” would be “they were made like” or “they have become like.” For idiomatic clarity, “they are like the beasts that perish” captures the force.