Exodus 32:22

Posted on March 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 32:22 Cui ille respondit: Ne indignetur dominus meus: tu enim nosti populum istum, quod pronus sit ad malum:

And he replied to him: “Let not my lord be angry; for you know this people, that it is prone toward evil;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cui to whom DAT.SG.M PRON REL
2 ille he NOM.SG.M PRON DEM
3 respondit replied 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
4 Ne let not ADV/NEG.PART INDECL
5 indignetur be angry 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.DEP 1ST CONJ
6 dominus lord NOM.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
7 meus my NOM.SG.M ADJ POSS
8 tu you NOM.SG PRON PERS
9 enim for CONJ INDECL
10 nosti you know 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND 4TH CONJ
11 populum people ACC.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
12 istum that ACC.SG.M PRON DEM
13 quod that CONJ SUBORD INDECL
14 pronus prone NOM.SG.M ADJ POS
15 sit is 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.ACT IRREG
16 ad toward PREP+ACC INDECL
17 malum evil ACC.SG.N NOUN 2ND DECL

Syntax

Introductory Clause:
Cui ille respondit — “And he replied to him”
• Cui = dative of reference for the relative link to Moses.
• ille = subject (Aaron).
• respondit = perfect narrative verb.

Volitive/Subjunctive Clause:
Ne indignetur dominus meus — “Let not my lord be angry”
• ne expresses prohibition.
• indignetur = deponent subjunctive, polite plea.
• dominus meus = subject phrase.

Casual Clause:
tu enim nosti populum istum — “for you know this people”
• tu = emphatic subject.
• nosti = perfect with present meaning (“you know”).
• populum istum = object of knowledge.

Subordinate Clause of Character:
quod pronus sit ad malum — “that it is prone toward evil”
• pronus sit = predicate adjective + subjunctive.
• ad malum = indicates tendency.

Morphology

  1. Cui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object in relative reference; Translation: to whom; Notes: Introduces a relative link to Moses.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: he; Notes: Refers to Aaron.
  3. respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: replied; Notes: Perfect used as narrative past.
  4. Ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: negative particle; Form: invariable; Function: introduces prohibition; Translation: let not; Notes: Standard for negative jussive/subjunctive.
  5. indignetur — Lemma: indignor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: third singular present subjunctive deponent; Function: volitive verb; Translation: be angry; Notes: Deponent verb with passive form but active meaning.
  6. dominus — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of indignetur; Translation: lord; Notes: Here means “master,” referring to Moses, not YHWH.
  7. meus — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies dominus; Translation: my; Notes: Expresses respect.
  8. tu — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular; Function: subject of nosti; Translation: you; Notes: Emphatic placement before enim.
  9. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces explanation; Translation: for; Notes: Postpositive.
  10. nosti — Lemma: nosco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you know; Notes: Perfect with present meaning (“you have come to know → you now know”).
  11. populum — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of nosti; Translation: people; Notes: Refers to Israel collectively.
  12. istum — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies populum; Translation: that; Notes: Demonstrative of reproach (“that people of yours”).
  13. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces subordinate clause; Translation: that; Notes: Not a relative pronoun here—pure conjunction.
  14. pronus — Lemma: pronus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: prone; Notes: Describes moral inclination.
  15. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: is; Notes: Subjunctive required after quod in clause of character.
  16. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses inclination toward; Translation: toward; Notes: Indicates moral direction.
  17. malum — Lemma: malum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of ad; Translation: evil; Notes: Used abstractly for wickedness.

 

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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