Genesis 31:6

Posted on January 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 31:6 Et ipsæ nostis quod totis viribus meis servierim patri vestro.

And you yourselves know that with all my strength I have served your father.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 ipsæ you yourselves NOM.PL.F.PRON
3 nostis you know 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
4 quod that CONJ
5 totis with all ABL.PL.F.ADJ
6 viribus strength ABL.PL.F
7 meis my ABL.PL.F.PRON
8 servierim I have served 1SG.PERF.ACT.SUBJ
9 patri to (the) father DAT.SG.M
10 vestro your DAT.SG.M.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Et ipsæ nostis — compound subject and verb with intensive pronoun ipsæ emphasizing personal knowledge.
Subordinate Clause: quod totis viribus meis servierim patri vestro — object clause introduced by quod containing a perfect subjunctive to express indirect statement.
Prepositional Phrase: totis viribus meis — ablative of means, indicating total exertion in service.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects this statement with the previous one; Translation: “and”; Notes: Typical narrative connective introducing a continuation of Jacob’s speech.
  2. ipsæ — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject; Translation: “you yourselves”; Notes: Adds emphasis to the addressed women, stressing their personal awareness.
  3. nostis — Lemma: nosco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, 2nd person plural; Function: main verb of direct statement; Translation: “you know”; Notes: Perfect tense in Latin often carries the sense of present knowledge resulting from past experience.
  4. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces object clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Common in post-classical Latin for indirect discourse instead of accusative + infinitive.
  5. totis — Lemma: totus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifier of viribus; Translation: “with all”; Notes: Expresses totality of means or effort.
  6. viribus — Lemma: vis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: ablative of means; Translation: “strength”; Notes: Denotes the energy or power with which Jacob served Laban.
  7. meis — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: pronoun/adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: possessive modifier of viribus; Translation: “my”; Notes: Indicates personal labor and dedication.
  8. servierim — Lemma: servio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active subjunctive, 1st person singular; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “I have served”; Notes: Subjunctive used in indirect statement depending on nostis; expresses Jacob’s completed service.
  9. patri — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of servierim; Translation: “to (the) father”; Notes: Refers to Laban, to whom Jacob rendered his labor.
  10. vestro — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: pronoun/adjective; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: possessive modifier of patri; Translation: “your”; Notes: Second-person plural possessive matching the addressees Rachel and Leah.

About Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Born around 346 A.D. in Stridon, St. Jerome was a scholar fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew whose ascetic discipline and deep engagement with Scripture prepared him for a monumental task: translating the Bible into Latin. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382 A.D., Jerome began by revising the flawed Old Latin Gospels, then expanded his work to the entire Bible. For the New Testament, he corrected Latin texts using Greek manuscripts; for the Old Testament, he translated most books directly from Hebrew—a controversial but principled choice. His final Psalter, however, followed the Greek Septuagint tradition for liturgical use. This composite translation, later known as the Vulgate (editio vulgata), became the authoritative biblical text of the Western Church, formally endorsed at the Council of Trent in 1546. The Vulgate’s influence extends beyond theology into textual criticism and Latin education. As one of the earliest translations grounded in original-language scholarship, it offers a vital witness to the state of biblical texts in late antiquity. Jerome’s lexical and syntactic decisions are studied to trace manuscript history and assess variant readings. Its elegant Latin, consistent in grammar and rich in vocabulary, became a model for medieval and Renaissance learning, bridging classical and ecclesiastical Latin. More than a translation, the Vulgate helped define Christian doctrine, preserved the Latin language, and laid essential groundwork for the critical study of Scripture—remaining indispensable to students of Latin, theology, and textual history.
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