Genesis 3:16

Posted on January 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 3:16 Mulieri quoque dixit: Multiplicabo ærumnas tuas, et conceptus tuos: in dolore paries filios, et sub viri potestate eris, et ipse dominabitur tui.

To the woman also He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrows and your conceptions; in pain you shall bring forth sons, and you shall be under the power of your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Mulieri to the woman DAT.SG.F
2 quoque also ADV
3 dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 Multiplicabo I will multiply 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
5 ærumnas sorrows ACC.PL.F
6 tuas your ACC.PL.F.POSS.ADJ
7 et and CONJ
8 conceptus conceptions ACC.PL.M
9 tuos your ACC.PL.M.POSS.ADJ
10 in in PREP+ABL
11 dolore pain ABL.SG.M
12 paries you shall bring forth 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
13 filios sons ACC.PL.M
14 et and CONJ
15 sub under PREP+ABL
16 viri of the man GEN.SG.M
17 potestate power / authority ABL.SG.F
18 eris you shall be 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
19 et and CONJ
20 ipse he NOM.SG.M.PRON
21 dominabitur shall rule 3SG.FUT.DEP.IND
22 tui of you GEN.SG.2P.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Mulieri quoque dixit — “To the woman also He said.” The dative Mulieri marks the indirect object of speech, introducing the second divine pronouncement.
First Prediction: Multiplicabo ærumnas tuas, et conceptus tuos — “I will greatly multiply your sorrows and your conceptions.”
Both objects are in the accusative plural, linked by et, showing dual consequences of pain and increased fertility.
Second Clause: in dolore paries filios — “in pain you shall bring forth sons.” The prepositional phrase in dolore expresses the circumstance of childbirth.
Third Clause: et sub viri potestate eris — “and you shall be under the power of the man.” Indicates subordination within domestic order.
Final Clause: et ipse dominabitur tui — “and he shall rule over you.” Reciprocal parallel to the prior clause, emphasizing authority and consequence.

Morphology

  1. Mulieri — Lemma: mulier; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Dative singular feminine; Function: Indirect object of dixit; Translation: “to the woman”; Notes: Marks Eve as recipient of divine decree.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connective adverb; Translation: “also”; Notes: Adds the second pronouncement following the serpent’s curse.
  3. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “said”; Notes: Continues narrative of divine speech.
  4. Multiplicabo — Lemma: multiplico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future active indicative 1st singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “I will multiply”; Notes: Expresses divine causation of hardship.
  5. ærumnas — Lemma: ærumna; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Direct object of Multiplicabo; Translation: “sorrows / toils”; Notes: Refers to labor pains and general suffering.
  6. tuas — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Possessive modifier; Translation: “your”; Notes: Belongs to ærumnas.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects coordinate objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins twin results of divine sentence.
  8. conceptus — Lemma: conceptus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Second object of Multiplicabo; Translation: “conceptions”; Notes: Related to fertility and reproduction.
  9. tuos — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Possessive modifier; Translation: “your”; Notes: Belongs to conceptus.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Circumstantial; Translation: “in”; Notes: Introduces condition of childbirth.
  11. dolore — Lemma: dolor; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Ablative of manner; Translation: “pain”; Notes: Specifies emotional and physical suffering.
  12. paries — Lemma: pario; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future active indicative 2nd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “you shall bring forth”; Notes: Refers to childbirth under divine sentence.
  13. filios — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Direct object of paries; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Indicates human offspring broadly.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects next clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues sequential judgment.
  15. sub — Lemma: sub; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Expresses subordination; Translation: “under”; Notes: Marks relational hierarchy.
  16. viri — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Genitive of possession; Translation: “of the man”; Notes: Identifies the husband.
  17. potestate — Lemma: potestas; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine; Function: Object of sub; Translation: “power / authority”; Notes: Represents domestic or marital authority.
  18. eris — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future active indicative 2nd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “you shall be”; Notes: Expresses ongoing condition.
  19. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates final statement; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces reciprocal clause.
  20. ipse — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of dominabitur; Translation: “he”; Notes: Emphatic pronoun referring to the husband.
  21. dominabitur — Lemma: dominor; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent); Form: Future indicative 3rd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “shall rule”; Notes: Deponent with active meaning; conveys future subjection.
  22. tui — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Genitive singular; Function: Object of dominabitur (governed by genitive); Translation: “of you”; Notes: Indicates possession or relation of rule.

 

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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