| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the Hitpael participle mitaveh {מִתְאַוָּה | miṯʾāvâh} ‘craves’, forming a circumstantial clause of ongoing desire. It is immediately followed by the negative particle ayin {אַיִן | ʾāyin} ‘there is not’, creating a dramatic portrayal of deprivation. The nominal phrase nefsho atsel {נַפְשׁוֹ עָצֵל | nefp̄šô ʿāẓēl} ‘the soul of the sluggard’ serves as the subject of the first clause. The vav conjunction then links a parallel clause ve-nefesh charutzim tədûššān {וְנֶפֶשׁ חָרֻצִים תְּדֻשָּׁן | wə-nep̄š ḥārûṣîm tədûššān}, where the construct chain nefesh charutzim expresses ‘soul of the diligent ones’. The Pual imperfect tədûššān ‘will be enriched’ agrees in third person feminine singular with nefesh and underscores passive reception of reward. The chiastic parallelism contrasts unmet desire with fulfilled diligence. |