Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryan Rocine" <brocine AT earthlink.net>]

Forwarded on behalf of Alviero Niccacci:

> On  28/12/99 (Re: <wayyiqtol> again) Bryan Rocine wrote:
>
>
> >Dear Galia,
> >
> >Thanks for your answers.  Enjoying the discussion!
> >
> >You ask for examples of wayyiqtol in modal contexts in
> >Gen-Ki of the sort we fairly often find in Proverbs (and
> >I'll add Psa).
>
> < ... >
>
> >The Proverbs and Psalms use what I call a gnomic (or
> >proverb-like) present that I think you would classify as
> modal. < ... >
>
> Dear Bryan,
>
> in recent postings of yours you mentioned a *gnomic
wayyiqtol* in
> Proverbs-- specifically in Prov 31:10 ff. Are you sure of
it? Did you
> check other possibilities?
> In what follows I will try to apply to the poem of the
good
> wife the rules of prose. Let us see how it functions and
what are the
> results.
> I need to explain my basic understanding. I think that the
use of the
> verb system in poetry follows basically that of direct
speech.
> Specifically, with reference to our passage, we have a
central part
> that is characterized by QATAL and continuation WAYYIQTOL,
and has
> therefore a past setting (vv. 11-29). This central part is
framed by
> a small introduction (v. 10) and a conclusion (vv. 30-31)
that are
> not set in the past but rather in the present and future.
> In the central part (vv. 11-29) the verbforms are used as
in
> direct speech with a past setting. A narrative unit begins
with qatal
> (or x-qatal, as in v. 19) and continues with wayyiqtolwith
the same
> function, i.e. mainline of an oral narrative (e.g. v. 13).
The
> secondary line is conveyed with x-qatal following
wayyiqtol to
> express a unique circumstance / background (e.g. v. 16),
with
> x-yiqtol to express an habitual circumstance / background
(e.g. v.
> 11), also in the negative (e.g. v. 18), or with nonverbal
sentence to
> express contemporaneity, description (e.g. v. 21).
> The following translation and analysis is based on the
RSV,
> further *revised* as necessary. Each narrative unit is
marked with a
> ' - '. The frame passages are marked with ' ** '.
>
>
> **[10] A good wife who shall find [x-YIQTOL], Since she is
far more
> precious than jewels [nonverbal sentence] ?
>
> - [11] The heart of her husband trusted [QATAL] in her,
and he would
> have no lack of gain [x-YIQTOL].
> - [12] She did him [QATAL] good, and not harm, all the
days of her life.
> - [13] She sought [QATAL] wool and flax, and worked
[WAYYIQTOL] with
> willing hands.
> - [14] She was [QATAL] like the ships of the merchant, she
was
> bringing [x-YIQTOL] her food from afar.
>    [15] And she rose [WAYYIQTOL] while it is yet night and
provided
> [WAYYIQTOL] food for her household and tasks for her
maidens.
> - [16] She considered [QATAL] a field and bought it
[WAYYIQTOL],
> while with the fruit of her hands she planted [x-QATAL] a
vineyard.
> - [17] She girded [QATAL] her loins with strength and made
her arms
> strong [WAYYIQTOL].
> - [18] She perceived [QATAL] that her merchandise was
profitable. Her
> lamp was not going out [negative YIQTOL] at night.
> - [19] She put [QATAL] her hands to the distaff, while her
hands were
> holding [x-YIQTOL] the spindle.
> - [20] She opened [x-QATAL] her hand to the poor, while
she reached
> out [x-QATAL] her hands to the needy.
> - [21] She was not afraid [negative YIQTOL] of snow for
her
> household, for all her household were clothed [nonverbal
sentence] in
> scarlet.
> - [22] She made [x-QATAL] herself coverings; her clothing
was fine
> linen and purple.
> - [23] Her husband was known [nonverbal sentence] in the
gates, when
> he was sitting among the elders of the land.
> - [24] She made [X-QATAL] linen garments and sold
[WAYYIQTOL] them,
> while she delivered [X-QATAL] girdles to the merchant.
> - [25] Strength and dignity were her clothing [nonverbal
sentence],
> and she laughed [WAYYIQTOL] at the time to come.
> - [26] She opened [x-QATAL] her mouth with wisdom, and the
teaching
> of kindness was on her tongue.
> - [27] She was looking well [nonverbal sentence] to the
ways of her
> household, and was not eating the bread of idleness
[negative
> x-YIQTOL].
> - [28] Her children rose up [QATAL] and called her blessed
> [WAYYIQTOL]; her husband [rose up] also, and praised her
[WAYYIQTOL]:
> - [29]  "Many women have done [x-QATAL] excellently, but
you have
> surpassed [x-QATAL] them all."
>
> **[30] Charm is deceitful [nonverbal sentence], and beauty
is vain
> [nonverbal sentence], but a woman who fears the LORD shall
to be
> praised [x-YIQTOL].
> **[31] Give [imperative] her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her
> works praise her [jussive WeYIQTOL] in the gates.
>
> Analyzed according to the rules of prose, this poem may
not
> be gnomic at all. It seems rather written from the
perspective of the
> woman's children and husband at the gate (v. 28), who
narrate her
> past deeds as a life-long achievement. It appears to be a
poem
> exalting a specific woman of value. Of course she is a
model, still
> she remains a person and does not become a type.
> I think we can and we should get rid of a *gnomic*
wayyiqtol.
> Instead we can speak of a *gnomic yiqtol*, e.g. "A wise
son will make
> glad [x-YIQTOL] his father / while a foolish son is a
sorrow for his
> mother. Treasures gained by wickedness will not profit
[x-YIQTOL],
> while righteousness will deliver [x-YIQTOL] from death"
(Prov
> 10:1-2), etc.
>
> Peace and all good for the New Year 2000.
>
> Alviero Niccacci
>
>
>
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