Leviticus 11:42

Posted on April 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 11:42 Quidquid super pectus quadrupes graditur, et multos habet pedes, sive per humum trahitur, non comedetis, quia abominabile est.

Whatever walks upon the breast as a four footed creature, and has many feet, or is dragged along the ground, you shall not eat it, because it is abominable.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quidquid whatever INDEF.NOM.SG.N
2 super upon PREP+ACC
3 pectus breast ACC.SG.N
4 quadrupes four footed NOM.SG.C.ADJ
5 graditur walks 3SG.PRES.DEP.IND
6 et and CONJ
7 multos many ACC.PL.M
8 habet has 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
9 pedes feet ACC.PL.M
10 sive or CONJ
11 per along PREP+ACC
12 humum ground ACC.SG.F
13 trahitur is dragged 3SG.PRES.PASS.IND
14 non not ADV
15 comedetis you shall eat 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND
16 quia because CONJ
17 abominabile abominable NOM.SG.N
18 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Subject: Quidquid — any creature without exception
Descriptive Relative Content: super pectus quadrupes graditur — mode of movement on the body
Coordinated Description: et multos habet pedes — possession of many feet
Alternative Description: sive per humum trahitur — movement by dragging along the ground
Main Prohibition: non comedetis — direct ban on consumption
Causal Ground: quia abominabile est — reason for the prohibition

Morphology

  1. Quidquid — Lemma: quidquid; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: nominative neuter singular; Function: subject; Translation: whatever; Notes: Establishes an all inclusive category.
  2. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: upon; Notes: Indicates contact with the body surface.
  3. pectus — Lemma: pectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: object of super; Translation: breast; Notes: Refers to crawling close to the body.
  4. quadrupes — Lemma: quadrupes; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative common singular; Function: subject complement; Translation: four footed; Notes: Describes basic limb count.
  5. graditur — Lemma: gradior; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: third person singular present indicative; Function: verb of movement; Translation: walks; Notes: Deponent form with active meaning.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Joins additional description.
  7. multos — Lemma: multus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative masculine plural; Function: modifier of pedes; Translation: many; Notes: Emphasizes excessive number.
  8. habet — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb of possession; Translation: has; Notes: States physical characteristic.
  9. pedes — Lemma: pes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine plural; Function: direct object; Translation: feet; Notes: Limbs used for movement.
  10. sive — Lemma: sive; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: alternative; Translation: or; Notes: Introduces an alternate case.
  11. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: path; Translation: along; Notes: Indicates movement across a surface.
  12. humum — Lemma: humus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative feminine singular; Function: object of per; Translation: ground; Notes: Earth surface.
  13. trahitur — Lemma: traho; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present passive indicative; Function: verb of motion; Translation: is dragged; Notes: Passive describing low crawling movement.
  14. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: Negates the command.
  15. comedetis — Lemma: comedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural future active indicative; Function: main predicate; Translation: you shall eat; Notes: Future used for legal prohibition.
  16. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: causal connector; Translation: because; Notes: Introduces the reason.
  17. abominabile — Lemma: abominabilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative neuter singular; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: abominable; Notes: Strong ritual condemnation.
  18. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: copula; Translation: is; Notes: States an absolute assessment.

 

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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