Friday, January 22, 2010

Psalm 119 - Part 8 Grammar

Chosen portion, mine you are יְהוָה
I have vowed to keep your word
Craved have I your presence with all my heart
have mercy on me remembering your promise
Considered have I my ways
and I will turn my feet to your testimonies
Came quickly I did
and I would not delay to keep your commandments
Companies of the wicked robbed me
I have not ignored your teaching
Come midnight I arise to give thanks to you
for the judgments of your righteousness
Companion am I to all who fear you
and are keepers of your precepts
Covenant mercy yours, יְהוָה, has filled the earth
you will teach me your statutes
 חֶלְקִי יְהוָה
אָמַרְתִּי לִשְׁמֹר דְּבָרֶיךָ
חִלִּיתִי פָנֶיךָ בְכָל לֵב
חָנֵּנִי כְּאִמְרָתֶךָ
חִשַּׁבְתִּי דְרָכָי 
וָאָשִׁיבָה רַגְלַי אֶל עֵדֹתֶיךָ
חַשְׁתִּי וְלֹא הִתְמַהְמָהְתִּי
  לִשְׁמֹר מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ
חֶבְלֵי רְשָׁעִים עִוְּדֻנִי 
תּוֹרָתְךָ לֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי
חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ 
עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ
חָבֵר אָנִי לְכָל אֲשֶׁר יְרֵאוּךָ
  וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי פִּקּוּדֶיךָ
חַסְדְּךָ יְהוָה מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ
חֻקֶּיךָ לַמְּדֵנִי


Details - I have not filled them in with parts of speech this time - though it remains a surprising exercise.
xlqyחֶלְקִיchosen portion mineIs the poet a Levite? This first line continues the thought of the last line of zayin. I need the chosen for the first letter - it seems to fit the idea of portion whether it is I who chose or Hashem or the poet.
yyיְהוָהO LORD
)amàrtyאָמַרְתִּיI have vowedIs vow too strong?
lishmorלִשְׁמֹרto keepWhat word do I keep
dbareykaדְּבָרֶיךָyour word
xilytyחִלִּיתִיCraved I haveCraving and longing I understand and that it must be longing for an adequate object
paneykaפָנֶיךָyour presenceUsually I like face for this word - but here presence
bkal lébבְכָל לֵבwith all my heartThe longing is powerful
xanényחָנֵּנִיhave mercy on meand raises my need
k)imratekaכְּאִמְרָתֶךָremembering your promisebut promise - equivalent to the word of the zayin section - is sufficient to calm me
xishàbtyחִשַּׁבְתִּיConsidered I have
drakayדְרָכָיmy waysHow shall I a youth, according to the Bet section, consider my ways (that are by aleph - not so direct)?
va)ashybahוָאָשִׁיבָהand (will) turn(ed)should this be perfect or imperfect. I can't see this as a story line but the following perfect verb makes me pause.
ràglày )el `édoteykaרַגְלַי אֶל עֵדֹתֶיךָmy feet to your testimoniesmy feet - your testimonies
xàshtyחַשְׁתִּיcame quickly I didso quickly I nearly had an accident
vlo)וְלֹאand not
hitmàhmahtyהִתְמַהְמָהְתִּיwould I delay - this will take some explanation! It is supposedly an instance of Hithpalpel Perfect of מהה. I have read that word a few times but have not found a seconder for it in a modern grammar. (But see BDB page 554b.)

lishmorלִשְׁמֹרto keep
micvoteykaמִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָyour commandments
xbléyחֶבְלֵיCompanies ofmust be a plural construct
rsha`ymרְשָׁעִיםthe wicked
`ivudunyעִוְּדֻנִיrobbed me
tvoratkaתּוֹרָתְךָYour instruction
lo)לֹאI have not
shakaxtyשָׁכָחְתִּיignoredbut sometimes I ignore stop signs and red lights when bicycling!
xacvot làylah )aqvumחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּםCome midnight I ariseso I sleepless work at midnight on grammar exercises
lhvodvotלְהוֹדוֹתto give thanksthankfully - psalms still happen to me!
lak `àlלָךְ עַלto you for
mishp+éyמִשְׁפְּטֵיthe judgments ofremember the righteousness in the circles of Psalm 51 - that's what the poet means
cidqkaצִדְקֶךָyour righteousness
xabérחָבֵרCompanionCompanions - where are you?
)any lkal )asherאָנִי לְכָל אֲשֶׁרam I to all who
yré)vukaיְרֵאוּךָfear you
vulshomréyוּלְשֹׁמְרֵיand are keepers of
piqvudeykaפִּקּוּדֶיךָyour precepts
xàsdkaחַסְדְּךָCovenant mercyof this there is no shortage for all my companions
yyיְהוָהyours O LORD
mal)ahמָלְאָהhas filledxsd must be feminine
ha)arecהָאָרֶץthe earth
xuqeykaחֻקֶּיךָyour statutes
làmdényלַמְּדֵנִיyou will teach meand I will learn them with such a teacher

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