כְּמֹ֣ו שַׁ֭בְּלוּל תֶּ֣מֶס יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ נֵ֥פֶל אֵ֝֗שֶׁת בַּל־חָ֥זוּ שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃
Like a snail that melts, it goes. A miscarriage of a woman, they have not seen the sun.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | כְּמֹו | kemo | “like” | Prep כְּ |
| 2 | שַׁבְּלוּל | shabbelul | “snail” | N(ms) |
| 3 | תֶּמֶס | temes | “it melts” | Qal yiqtol 3ms |
| 4 | יַהֲלֹךְ | yahalokh | “it goes” | Qal yiqtol 3ms |
| 5 | נֵפֶל | nefel | “miscarriage” | N(ms) |
| 6 | אֵשֶׁת | ʾeshet | “of a woman” | N(fs constr.) |
| 7 | בַּל־חָזוּ | bal-ḥazu | “they have not seen” | Neg particle + Qal qatal 3mp |
| 8 | שָׁמֶשׁ | shamesh | “sun” | N(fs) |
Morphology
- כְּמֹו (kemo) – Root: כ; Root Type: Particle; Form: Preposition כְּ; Translation: “like”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing the wicked to something transient.
- שַׁבְּלוּל (shabbelul) – Root: שבלל (sh-b-l-l); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “snail”; Notes: A creature symbolizing slow dissolution or disappearance.
- תֶּמֶס (temes) – Root: מסס (m-s-s); Root Type: Geminate; Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal imperfect (yiqtol) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it melts”; Notes: Describes the snail dissolving as it moves, reinforcing imagery of vanishing.
- יַהֲלֹךְ (yahalokh) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Root Type: Strong; Binyan: Qal; Form: Qal imperfect (yiqtol) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it goes”; Notes: Continues the motion imagery, pairing movement with dissolution.
- נֵפֶל (nefel) – Root: נפל (n-p-l); Root Type: I-Nun; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “miscarriage”; Notes: Refers to a stillborn or aborted fetus, emphasizing total lack of life or future.
- אֵשֶׁת (ʾeshet) – Root: אשה (ʾ-sh-h); Root Type: III-He; Form: Noun feminine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “of a woman”; Notes: Forms a construct chain with נֵפֶל, specifying the source of the miscarriage.
- בַּל־חָזוּ (bal-ḥazu) – Root: חזה (ḥ-z-h); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Qal; Form: Negative particle בַּל + Qal perfect (qatal) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have not seen”; Notes: The plural verb may refer to such miscarried ones collectively, emphasizing never experiencing life.
- שָׁמֶשׁ (shamesh) – Root: שמשׁ (sh-m-sh); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “sun”; Notes: Symbolizes life, light, and existence, which the miscarried never experience.