| 13. Linguistic Exegesis patsu {פָּצ֣וּ | pāṣû} ‘they have opened wide’ functions as the main verb, with the dative-of-disadvantage alai {עָלַ֣י | ʿālai} ‘against me’ marking personal hostility. The noun pihem {פִּיהֶ֑ם | pîhēm} ‘their mouth’ serves as the direct object. The simile expressed by aryeh {אַרְיֵ֥ה | ʾaryēh} ‘lion’ stands in apposition, and the coordinated participles toref {טוֹרֵ֗ף | tōrēp̄} ‘tearing’ and veshoeg {וְשֹׁאֵ֥ג | wə-šōʾēg} ‘roaring’ create a paratactic sequence that heightens the sense of ongoing aggression. In translation, the Hebrew perfect is rendered in the present tense for immediacy, participles remain as active verbs to preserve vivid aspect, and the simile is marked with “as/like” to reflect Hebrew juxtaposition. |