Numeri 11:15 (Numbers 11:15)

Posted on May 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 11:15 Sin aliter tibi videtur, obsecro ut interficias me, et inveniam gratiam in oculis tuis, ne tantis afficiar malis.

But if it seems otherwise to You, I beseech You that You kill me, and that I may find favor in Your eyes, so that I may not be afflicted with so great evils.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sin but if CONJ
2 aliter otherwise ADV
3 tibi to You DAT.SG.PERS.PRON
4 videtur it seems 3SG.PRES.PASS.IND
5 obsecro I beseech 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
6 ut that CONJ
7 interficias You may kill 2SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
8 me me ACC.SG.PERS.PRON
9 et and CONJ
10 inveniam I may find 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
11 gratiam favor ACC.SG.F
12 in in PREP+ABL
13 oculis eyes ABL.PL.M
14 tuis Your ABL.PL.M.POSS.ADJ
15 ne lest CONJ
16 tantis with so great ABL.PL.N
17 afficiar I may be afflicted 1SG.PRES.PASS.SUBJ
18 malis evils ABL.PL.N

Syntax

Conditional Clause: Sin aliter tibi videtur introduces the condition. videtur is an impersonal passive verb with tibi as a dative of reference.

Main Clause: obsecro is the main verb of entreaty.

First Subordinate Clause: ut interficias me is a substantive clause of request, with interficias in the subjunctive and me as its direct object.

Second Subordinate Clause: et inveniam gratiam in oculis tuis is coordinated, expressing the desired result. gratiam is the object, and in oculis tuis expresses the relational setting.

Negative Purpose Clause: ne tantis afficiar malis expresses avoidance. afficiar is passive subjunctive, with tantis malis as ablative of means or cause.

Morphology

  1. Sin — Lemma: sin; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces alternative condition; Translation: but if; Notes: often contrasts with a previous assumption.
  2. aliter — Lemma: aliter; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies videtur; Translation: otherwise; Notes: expresses a different course of action.
  3. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: dative of reference; Translation: to You; Notes: indicates the one to whom it seems good.
  4. videtur — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present passive indicative; Function: impersonal verb; Translation: it seems; Notes: passive form used impersonally in Latin.
  5. obsecro — Lemma: obsecro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb of entreaty; Translation: I beseech; Notes: expresses urgent pleading.
  6. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces substantive clause; Translation: that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  7. interficias — Lemma: interficio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: You may kill; Notes: expresses request.
  8. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: direct object; Translation: me; Notes: object of interficias.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: links clauses.
  10. inveniam — Lemma: invenio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of coordinated clause; Translation: I may find; Notes: expresses desired outcome.
  11. gratiam — Lemma: gratia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: favor; Notes: indicates divine acceptance.
  12. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces phrase; Translation: in; Notes: locative usage.
  13. oculis — Lemma: oculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: eyes; Notes: idiomatic for favor.
  14. tuis — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies oculis; Translation: Your; Notes: agrees with oculis.
  15. ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces negative purpose clause; Translation: lest; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  16. tantis — Lemma: tantus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: modifies malis; Translation: with so great; Notes: emphasizes magnitude.
  17. afficiar — Lemma: afficio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular present passive subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: I may be afflicted; Notes: passive expresses being acted upon.
  18. malis — Lemma: malum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: ablative of means; Translation: evils; Notes: indicates burdens or sufferings.

 

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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