הַוֹּ֥ות בְּקִרְבָּ֑הּ וְֽלֹא־יָמִ֥ישׁ מֵ֝רְחֹבָ֗הּ תֹּ֣ךְ וּמִרְמָֽה׃
Destructions are within her, and not does depart from her broad place oppression and deceit.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | הַוֹּות | havvot | “destructions” | N(fp) |
| 2 | בְּקִרְבָּהּ | be-qirbah | “within her” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) + suff 3fs |
| 3 | וְלֹא | ve-lo | “and not” | Conj + neg |
| 4 | יָמִישׁ | yamish | “he departs” | Qal imperfect 3ms |
| 5 | מֵרְחֹבָהּ | me-reḥovah | “from her broad place” | Prep מִן + N(ms) + suff 3fs |
| 6 | תֹּךְ | tokh | “oppression” | N(ms) |
| 7 | וּמִרְמָה | u-mirmah | “and deceit” | Conj + N(fs) |
Morphology
- הַוֹּות (havvot) – Root: הוה (h-w-h); Root Type: III-He (weak); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “Destructions”; Notes: Denotes ruin or calamities present within the city. The root הוה can mean “destruction” or “engulfing ruin,” but it often carries the sense of “malignant desire” or “wickedness.” Rendering it as “destructions” highlights the tangible outcome of the city’s corruption—it is literally falling apart from the inside.
- בְּקִרְבָּהּ (be-qirbah) – Root: קרב (q-r-b); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “within her”; Notes: Refers to the inner part of the city.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: —; Root Type: Particle; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces negation.
- יָמִישׁ (yamish) – Root: מושׁ (m-w-š); Root Type: Hollow (weak); Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he departs”; Notes: Indicates continuous absence of departure, meaning it remains constantly present.
- מֵרְחֹבָהּ (me-reḥovah) – Root: רחב (r-ḥ-b); Root Type: II-Guttural (ח) (weak); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “from her broad place”; Notes: Refers to the public square or open area of the city. The spatial term רְחֹבָהּ is best rendered as “broad place.” Standard translations often smooth this to “from her streets,” but the root רָחַב (raḥav, “to be wide”) points to the public square, marketplace, or city‑gate area where business and legal transactions occurred. This translation emphasizes that the corruption is not hidden in alleys but exposed in the very heart of the city’s social and economic life
- תֹּךְ (tokh) – Root: תוך (t-w-kh); Root Type: II-Guttural (כ/ך considered strong; classified Strong); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “oppression”; Notes: Indicates injustice or internal corruption. תֹּךְ is a relatively rare word, often meaning “injury,” “fraud,” or “oppression.” Paired with מִרְמָה (mirmah, “deceit”), the two terms capture the dual forces of social decay: outward violence and pressure alongside inward treachery.
- וּמִרְמָה (u-mirmah) – Root: רמה (r-m-h); Root Type: III-He (weak); Form: Conjunction וּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and deceit”; Notes: Describes treachery and falsehood.