Genesis 31:28

Posted on January 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 31:28 Non es passus ut oscularer filios meos et filias: stulte operatus es: et nunc quidem

You did not allow me to kiss my sons and daughters: you have acted foolishly: and now indeed

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Non not ADV.NEG
2 es you are 2SG.PRES.IND.ACT.AUX
3 passus allowed NOM.SG.M.PERF.PTCP.DEP
4 ut that CONJ
5 oscularer I might kiss 1SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.DEP
6 filios sons ACC.PL.M
7 meos my ACC.PL.M.POSS.ADJ
8 et and CONJ
9 filias daughters ACC.PL.F
10 stulte foolishly ADV
11 operatus acted NOM.SG.M.PERF.PTCP.DEP
12 es you have 2SG.PRES.IND.ACT.AUX
13 et and CONJ
14 nunc now ADV
15 quidem indeed ADV

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Non es passus ut oscularer filios meos et filias — expresses Laban’s grievance using ut + subjunctive to indicate an action he was not permitted to do.
Main Clause 2: stulte operatus es — an independent assertion reproaching Jacob’s conduct as foolish.
Adverbial Phrase: et nunc quidem — transitional phrase introducing a coming consequence or reflection, meaning “and now indeed.”
Overall Syntax: The verse blends emotional reproach, loss, and anticipation of divine retribution, typical of Laban’s speech rhythm and tone.

Morphology

  1. Non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates the verb; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates es passus, emphasizing Jacob’s refusal of a farewell gesture.
  2. es — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: present active indicative, 2nd person singular; Function: auxiliary with perfect participle passus; Translation: “you are” or “you have”; Notes: Used with deponent participle to form perfect tense.
  3. passus — Lemma: patior; Part of Speech: deponent participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect; Function: predicate of the main clause; Translation: “allowed”; Notes: Deponent verb meaning “to allow” or “permit,” with active sense.
  4. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces subordinate clause of purpose or result; Translation: “that”; Notes: Used with subjunctive to express potential action prevented by the main verb.
  5. oscularer — Lemma: osculor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: imperfect subjunctive, 1st person singular; Function: verb in ut clause; Translation: “I might kiss”; Notes: Deponent expressing wish or potential act of affection denied to Laban.
  6. filios — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of oscularer; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Refers to Jacob’s children, whom Laban calls “his.”
  7. meos — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies filios; Translation: “my”; Notes: Expresses Laban’s familial claim and emotional attachment.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects coordinate objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins filios and filias.
  9. filias — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: second object of oscularer; Translation: “daughters”; Notes: Refers to Rachel and Leah, reinforcing Laban’s sense of personal loss.
  10. stulte — Lemma: stulte; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies operatus es; Translation: “foolishly”; Notes: Expresses moral judgment; contrasts with divine wisdom implied in preceding context.
  11. operatus — Lemma: operor; Part of Speech: deponent participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect; Function: predicate of operatus es; Translation: “acted”; Notes: Deponent verb with active sense; moral evaluation of Jacob’s conduct.
  12. es — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: present active indicative, 2nd person singular; Function: auxiliary with participle operatus; Translation: “you have”; Notes: Perfect deponent construction expressing completed foolish action.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects to following clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Transitional, linking the previous rebuke with what follows.
  14. nunc — Lemma: nunc; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adverb of time; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks transition to present consequences or divine intervention.
  15. quidem — Lemma: quidem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: intensifier; Translation: “indeed”; Notes: Adds emphasis, preparing for contrast or concession in next clause.

 

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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