Numeri 12:11 (Numbers 12:11)

Posted on May 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 12:11 ait ad Moysen: Obsecro domine mi, ne imponas nobis hoc peccatum quod stulte commisimus,

he said to Moyses: “I beseech, my lord, do not lay upon us this sin which we have foolishly committed,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ait he said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
2 ad to PREP+ACC
3 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
4 Obsecro I beseech 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 domine lord VOC.SG.M
6 mi my VOC.SG.M POSS
7 ne not CONJ
8 imponas you may lay 2SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 nobis upon us DAT.PL 1 PERS
10 hoc this ACC.SG.N DEM
11 peccatum sin ACC.SG.N
12 quod which ACC.SG.N REL
13 stulte foolishly ADV
14 commisimus we committed 1PL.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause: ait is the main verb introducing direct speech, with ad Moysen as the indirect object.

Vocative Expression: domine mi is a direct address to Moyses.

Prohibitive Clause: ne imponas nobis hoc peccatum expresses a negative command. imponas is in the subjunctive governed by ne, with hoc peccatum as the object and nobis as the indirect object.

Relative Clause: quod stulte commisimus modifies peccatum, with commisimus as the verb and stulte modifying it.

Morphology

  1. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb introducing speech; Translation: he said; Notes: A defective verb commonly used in narrative dialogue.
  2. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: Marks direction toward the addressed person.
  3. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Moses; Notes: The one being addressed.
  4. Obsecro — Lemma: obsecro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb of plea; Translation: I beseech; Notes: Expresses urgent entreaty.
  5. domine — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative singular masculine second declension; Function: direct address; Translation: lord; Notes: Refers to a human superior, hence not rendered as “LORD.”
  6. mi — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: vocative singular masculine possessive; Function: modifies domine; Translation: my; Notes: Adds personal tone to the address.
  7. ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces negative command; Translation: not; Notes: Used with subjunctive for prohibition.
  8. imponas — Lemma: impono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of prohibitive clause; Translation: you may lay; Notes: Subjunctive expresses prohibition under ne.
  9. nobis — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural first person personal pronoun; Function: indirect object; Translation: upon us; Notes: Indicates those affected by the action.
  10. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter demonstrative; Function: modifies peccatum; Translation: this; Notes: Points to a specific wrongdoing.
  11. peccatum — Lemma: peccatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: direct object of imponas; Translation: sin; Notes: Refers to moral fault committed.
  12. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of commisimus; Translation: which; Notes: Refers back to peccatum.
  13. stulte — Lemma: stulte; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies commisimus; Translation: foolishly; Notes: Describes manner of action.
  14. commisimus — Lemma: committo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person plural perfect active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: we committed; Notes: Indicates completed past 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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