Leviticus 14:57

Posted on April 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 14:57 ut possit sciri quo tempore mundum quid, vel immundum sit.

so that it may be possible to know at what time something is clean, or unclean.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ut so that CONJ
2 possit it may be able 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
3 sciri to be known PRES.PASS.INF
4 quo at which ABL.SG.N REL.PRON
5 tempore time ABL.SG.N
6 mundum clean ACC.SG.N ADJ
7 quid something ACC.SG.N INDEF.PRON
8 vel or CONJ
9 immundum unclean ACC.SG.N ADJ
10 sit is 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.ACT

Syntax

Purpose Clause: ut possit sciri expresses the intended result of the preceding law.
Indirect Question: quo tempore specifies the point in time to be discerned.
Predicate Complements: mundum and immundum describe the alternative ritual states of quid.

Morphology

  1. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: States the aim of the regulation.
  2. possit — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present subjunctive active; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: it may be able; Notes: Expresses potential or capability.
  3. sciri — Lemma: scio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: to be known; Notes: Passive form emphasizes objective determination.
  4. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies tempore; Translation: at which; Notes: Introduces an indirect temporal question.
  5. tempore — Lemma: tempus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of time; Translation: time; Notes: Specifies the moment of determination.
  6. mundum — Lemma: mundus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: clean; Notes: Indicates ritual purity.
  7. quid — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: subject of infinitive sciri; Translation: something; Notes: Refers generally to any object or person under examination.
  8. vel — Lemma: vel; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: disjunction; Translation: or; Notes: Presents an alternative state.
  9. immundum — Lemma: immundus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: unclean; Notes: Indicates ritual impurity.
  10. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present subjunctive active; Function: verb of indirect question; Translation: is; Notes: Subjunctive required in indirect interrogation.

 

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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