Genesis 29:17

Posted on January 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 29:17 Sed Lia lippis erat oculis: Rachel decora facie, et venusto aspectu.

But Lia had weak eyes, while Rachel was beautiful in face and lovely in appearance.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sed but CONJ
2 Lia Leah NOM.SG.F.PROPN
3 lippis with weak ABL.PL.F.ADJ
4 erat was 3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
5 oculis eyes ABL.PL.M
6 Rachel Rachel NOM.SG.F.PROPN
7 decora beautiful NOM.SG.F.ADJ
8 facie in face ABL.SG.F
9 et and CONJ
10 venusto charming ABL.SG.M.ADJ
11 aspectu in appearance ABL.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Sed Lia lippis erat oculis — The conjunction Sed introduces contrast (“but”). The verb erat links the subject Lia with the predicate expression lippis oculis, an ablative of quality (“Leah was of weak eyes”). The ablative phrase defines a characteristic trait rather than possession.
Main Clause 2: Rachel decora facie, et venusto aspectu — A verbless clause where Rachel is the implied subject, and decora facie and venusto aspectu are two ablatives of respect, indicating in what regard Rachel was beautiful and attractive (“beautiful in face and lovely in appearance”).

Morphology

  1. Sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Common adversative conjunction linking two contrasting statements.
  2. Lia — Lemma: Lia; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of erat; Translation: “Leah”; Notes: Refers to the elder daughter of Laban.
  3. lippis — Lemma: lippus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies oculis in ablative of quality; Translation: “with weak”; Notes: Describes her physical condition (weak or bleary eyes).
  4. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: linking verb; Translation: “was”; Notes: Descriptive imperfect denoting state of being.
  5. oculis — Lemma: oculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: in ablative of quality with lippis; Translation: “eyes”; Notes: Denotes instrument or physical feature.
  6. Rachel — Lemma: Rachel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of implied erat; Translation: “Rachel”; Notes: Introduces the contrasting description.
  7. decora — Lemma: decorus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “beautiful”; Notes: Complements subject Rachel in an implied nominal clause.
  8. facie — Lemma: facies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of respect; Translation: “in face”; Notes: Specifies respect in which Rachel was beautiful.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: connects coordinated qualities; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins two parallel ablative phrases.
  10. venusto — Lemma: venustus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies aspectu; Translation: “charming” / “lovely”; Notes: Ablative of respect showing another aspect of beauty.
  11. aspectu — Lemma: aspectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of respect; Translation: “in appearance”; Notes: Completes the parallelism with facie.

 

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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