Genesis 41:32

Posted on February 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 41:32 Quod autem vidisti secundo ad eamdem rem pertinens somnium: firmitatis indicium est, eo quod fiat sermo Dei, et velocius impleatur.

But as for the dream which you saw a second time concerning the same matter: it is a sign of firmness, because the word of God shall come to pass, and shall be fulfilled more swiftly.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quod because / as for that which REL.PRON.NOM.SG.N
2 autem however / but ADV
3 vidisti you saw 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 secundo a second time ADV
5 ad to / concerning PREP+ACC
6 eamdem the same ACC.SG.F
7 rem matter ACC.SG.F
8 pertinens pertaining NOM.SG.N.PRESP.PTCP
9 somnium dream NOM.SG.N
10 firmitatis of firmness GEN.SG.F
11 indicium sign NOM.SG.N
12 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
13 eo because ADV
14 quod that CONJ
15 fiat may come to pass 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
16 sermo word NOM.SG.M
17 Dei of God GEN.SG.M
18 et and CONJ
19 velocius more swiftly COMP.ADV
20 impleatur may be fulfilled 3SG.PRES.PASS.SUBJ

Syntax

Relative/Explanatory Clause:
• Quod autem vidisti secundo — “But as for that which you saw a second time.”
— Quod is a neuter pronoun referring to the entire fact of the repeated dream.
— vidisti: main verb of the clause.
— secundo: adverb, “again / a second time.”

Prepositional Phrase:
• ad eamdem rem — “concerning the same matter.”

Participial Modifier:
• pertinens — modifies somnium, “the dream pertaining to the same matter.”

Main Clause:
• somnium … firmitatis indicium est — “the dream is a sign of firmness.”

Causal Clause:
• eo quod fiat sermo Dei — “because the word of God shall come to pass.”
— eo quod: classical causal idiom.
— fiat: subjunctive, prophetic sense.

Final Verb:
• et velocius impleatur — “and be fulfilled more swiftly.”
— Subjunctive expressing expected divine fulfillment.

Morphology

  1. Quod — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: refers to the whole preceding event of the repeated dream; Translation: “that which”; Notes: neuter pronouns often summarize events.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “however / but”; Notes: standard connective particle.
  3. vidisti — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative second person singular; Function: verb of relative statement; Translation: “you saw”; Notes: Pharaoh’s repeated vision.
  4. secundo — Lemma: secundum; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies vidisti; Translation: “a second time”; Notes: emphasizes repetition.
  5. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates relation; Translation: “concerning”; Notes: idiomatic use.
  6. eamdem — Lemma: idem; Part of Speech: pronoun/adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies rem; Translation: “the same”; Notes: emphatic identity.
  7. rem — Lemma: res; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “matter”; Notes: refers to God’s plan.
  8. pertinens — Lemma: pertineo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular neuter present active participle; Function: modifies somnium; Translation: “pertaining”; Notes: describes relevance.
  9. somnium — Lemma: somnium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of est; Translation: “dream”; Notes: repeated dream.
  10. firmitatis — Lemma: firmitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies indicium; Translation: “of firmness”; Notes: indicates certainty.
  11. indicium — Lemma: indicium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “sign”; Notes: explanatory.
  12. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third person singular; Function: linking verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: simple copula.
  13. eo — Lemma: eo; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: in causal expression eo quod; Translation: “because”; Notes: idiomatic.
  14. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: differs from relative quod.
  15. fiat — Lemma: fio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive third person singular; Function: expresses divine futurity; Translation: “may come to pass”; Notes: prophetic subjunctive.
  16. sermo — Lemma: sermo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of fiat; Translation: “word”; Notes: often divine utterance.
  17. Dei — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies sermo; Translation: “of God”; Notes: indicates divine authority.
  18. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates second subjunctive clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: simple connector.
  19. velocius — Lemma: velox; Part of Speech: adverb (comparative); Form: comparative adverb; Function: modifies impleatur; Translation: “more swiftly”; Notes: comparative degree.
  20. impleatur — Lemma: impleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive subjunctive third person singular; Function: second verb in linked subjunctive clause; Translation: “may be fulfilled”; Notes: passive expressing divine action.

 

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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