| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the adjective hafakhpakh {הֲפַכְפַּךְ | ha-faḵ-paḵ} ‘perverse’ modifying derekh {דֶּרֶךְ | de-reḵ} ‘way’, a fronted adjective that intensifies the negative attribute before ish {אִישׁ | ʾîš} ‘man’. The conjunctive vav in vazar {וָזָר | wā-zār} ‘and strange’ continues the antithetical description, amplifying the deviation. An adversative vav introduces vezakh {וְזַךְ | wə-zakh} ‘but pure’, shifting focus to the righteous. The adjective yashar {יָשָׁר | yā-šār} ‘upright’ then governs paolo {פָּעֳלֽוֹ | pā-ʿō-lō} ‘his work’, signifying alignment between character and action. This antithetic parallelism underscores the moral polarity and the causal relationship between one’s nature and deeds. |