Genesis 4:12

Posted on January 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 4:12 Cum operatus fueris eam, non dabit tibi fructus suos: vagus et profugus eris super terram.

When you till it, it shall no longer yield to you its fruits; you shall be a wanderer and a fugitive upon the earth.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cum when CONJ
2 operatus having worked / tilled NOM.SG.M.PPP.DEP
3 fueris you will have been 2SG.FUT.PERF.ACT.IND
4 eam it / her ACC.SG.F.PRON
5 non not ADV
6 dabit will give 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
7 tibi to you DAT.SG.PRON
8 fructus fruits ACC.PL.M
9 suos its ACC.PL.M.POSS
10 vagus wanderer NOM.SG.M.ADJ
11 et and CONJ
12 profugus fugitive NOM.SG.M.ADJ
13 eris you shall be 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
14 super upon / over PREP+ACC
15 terram earth ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cum operatus fueris eam — cum introduces a temporal subordinate clause; operatus fueris (future perfect deponent + auxiliary) describes a completed future action (“when you till it”); eam is the object referring to the cursed terra.
Main Clause 1: non dabit tibi fructus suos — dabit as the main verb with negation non; tibi (indirect object) and fructus suos (direct object) show loss of productivity and favor.
Main Clause 2: vagus et profugus eris super terram — two predicate adjectives (vagus, profugus) in nominative agree with implied subject “you,” and eris expresses permanent condition; super terram marks domain of exile.

Morphology

  1. Cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Temporal conjunction introducing subordinate clause; Translation: “when”; Notes: Marks time of future completed action.
  2. operatus — Lemma: operor; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent); Form: Perfect participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate within compound verb operatus fueris; Translation: “having worked / tilled”; Notes: Deponent form with active sense.
  3. fueris — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Auxiliary verb; Form: Future perfect active indicative, 2nd person singular; Function: Forms perfect periphrasis with operatus; Translation: “you will have been”; Notes: Marks action prior to main verb dabit.
  4. eam — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object of operatus fueris; Translation: “it / her”; Notes: Refers to terram.
  5. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Negation; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies expected fruitfulness.
  6. dabit — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “will give”; Notes: Refers to the earth withholding productivity.
  7. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative singular; Function: Indirect object; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Recipient of denied blessing.
  8. fructus — Lemma: fructus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Direct object of dabit; Translation: “fruits”; Notes: Symbol of sustenance and productivity.
  9. suos — Lemma: suus, -a, -um; Part of Speech: Possessive adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies fructus; Translation: “its”; Notes: Refers back to the earth (terra).
  10. vagus — Lemma: vagus; Part of Speech: Adjective (used substantively); Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate nominative with eris; Translation: “wanderer”; Notes: Denotes instability and loss of homeland.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects coordinate predicates; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins vagus and profugus as parallel conditions.
  12. profugus — Lemma: profugus; Part of Speech: Adjective (used substantively); Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate nominative with eris; Translation: “fugitive”; Notes: Denotes exile and avoidance of divine presence.
  13. eris — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future active indicative, 2nd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “you shall be”; Notes: Predicts Cain’s lasting alienation.
  14. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Spatial preposition; Translation: “upon / over”; Notes: Indicates domain of movement or wandering.
  15. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Object of super; Translation: “earth”; Notes: The same earth that was cursed and denied fruitfulness.

 

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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