Leviticus 16:31

Posted on April 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 16:31 sabbatum enim requietionis est, et affligetis animas vestras religione perpetua.

for it is a sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls by a perpetual ordinance.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sabbatum sabbath NOM.SG.N
2 enim for CONJ
3 requietionis of-rest GEN.SG.F
4 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 et and CONJ
6 affligetis you-shall-afflict 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND
7 animas souls ACC.PL.F
8 vestras your ACC.PL.F.PRON.POSS
9 religione by-ordinance ABL.SG.F
10 perpetua perpetual ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Predicate Nominative Clause: sabbatum … est — defines the day’s character
Genitive Modifier: requietionis — specifies the type of sabbath
Coordinated Command: et affligetis animas vestras — mandates self-affliction
Ablative of Means/Manner: religione perpetua — establishes the binding, enduring ordinance

Morphology

  1. sabbatum — Lemma: sabbatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative neuter singular, second declension; Function: subject; Translation: sabbath; Notes: Sacred day set apart for cessation.
  2. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: causal connector; Translation: for; Notes: Gives explanatory force.
  3. requietionis — Lemma: requietio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive feminine singular, third declension; Function: genitive of quality; Translation: of rest; Notes: Emphasizes cessation and repose.
  4. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: is; Notes: Links subject and predicate.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Adds a further command.
  6. affligetis — Lemma: affligo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural future indicative active; Function: main predicate; Translation: you shall afflict; Notes: Cultic self-denial.
  7. animas — Lemma: anima; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative feminine plural, first declension; Function: direct object; Translation: souls; Notes: The inner life of the person.
  8. vestras — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: accusative feminine plural; Function: modifies animas; Translation: your; Notes: Addresses the covenant community.
  9. religione — Lemma: religio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative feminine singular, third declension; Function: ablative of means; Translation: by ordinance; Notes: Binding cultic obligation.
  10. perpetua — Lemma: perpetuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative feminine singular; Function: modifies religione; Translation: perpetual; Notes: Enduring applicability.

 

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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