Leviticus 19:14

Posted on April 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 19:14 Non maledices surdo, nec coram cæco pones offendiculum: sed timebis Dominum Deum tuum, quia ego sum Dominus.

You shall not curse the deaf, nor shall you place a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear the LORD your God, because I am the LORD.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Non not ADV
2 maledices you shall curse 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
3 surdo to the deaf DAT.SG.M 2ND DECL NOUN
4 nec nor CONJ
5 coram before PREP+ABL INDECL
6 cæco the blind ABL.SG.M 2ND DECL NOUN
7 pones you shall place 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
8 offendiculum stumbling block ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL NOUN
9 sed but CONJ
10 timebis you shall fear 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
11 Dominum LORD ACC.SG.M 2ND DECL NOUN
12 Deum God ACC.SG.M 2ND DECL NOUN
13 tuum your ACC.SG.M POSS.ADJ
14 quia because CONJ
15 ego I NOM.SG PERS.PRON
16 sum am 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
17 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M 2ND DECL NOUN

Syntax

First Prohibition: Non maledices surdo (negative particle + future indicative; dative of the person affected)

Second Prohibition: nec coram cæco pones offendiculum (negative coordination; locative prepositional phrase + future indicative)

Adversative Exhortation: sed timebis Dominum Deum tuum (contrast introducing the positive obligation)

Causal Ground: quia ego sum Dominus (reason establishing divine authority)

Morphology

  1. Non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: negation; Function: negates the following verb; Translation: not; Notes: standard prohibitive marker in covenant law.
  2. maledices — Lemma: maledico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future indicative active; Function: expresses a legal prohibition; Translation: you shall curse; Notes: future indicative functions prescriptively.
  3. surdo — Lemma: surdus; Part of Speech: noun used substantively; Form: dative masculine singular second declension; Function: dative of the person affected; Translation: to the deaf; Notes: highlights protection of the vulnerable.
  4. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: negative coordinator; Function: links a second prohibition; Translation: nor; Notes: cumulative negation strengthening the command.
  5. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: indeclinable governing the ablative; Function: marks position in front of someone; Translation: before; Notes: often used with persons present.
  6. cæco — Lemma: cæcus; Part of Speech: noun used substantively; Form: ablative masculine singular second declension; Function: object of coram; Translation: the blind; Notes: refers to a person lacking sight.
  7. pones — Lemma: pono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future indicative active; Function: states a prohibition of harmful action; Translation: you shall place; Notes: future indicative again carries command force.
  8. offendiculum — Lemma: offendiculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative neuter singular second declension; Function: direct object of pones; Translation: stumbling block; Notes: metaphor for causing harm or moral failure.
  9. sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: adversative; Function: introduces a contrasting positive command; Translation: but; Notes: shifts from prohibition to obligation.
  10. timebis — Lemma: timeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future indicative active; Function: commands reverent fear; Translation: you shall fear; Notes: fear here implies reverence and obedience.
  11. Dominum — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine singular second declension; Function: direct object of timebis; Translation: LORD; Notes: rendered in all caps for YHWH.
  12. Deum — Lemma: deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine singular second declension; Function: apposition to Dominum; Translation: God; Notes: clarifies the divine identity.
  13. tuum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: modifies Deum; Translation: your; Notes: stresses covenant relationship.
  14. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: causal; Function: introduces the reason; Translation: because; Notes: grounds ethics in divine identity.
  15. ego — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: nominative singular; Function: subject of sum; Translation: I; Notes: emphatic self-reference.
  16. sum — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: am; Notes: states permanent divine identity.
  17. Dominus — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative masculine singular second declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: LORD; Notes: solemn self-identification of YHWH.

 

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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