Lesson 8 | Vocab: Prepositions

More Practice: Psalm 126

Let’s practice translating non-prefix prepositions, and get more used to translating Hebrew in preparation for the upcoming assignment. You’ve just listened to and sung Psalm 126; now let’s translate it, including the verses not included in the song.

שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת   A song of  stairsIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
בְּשׁוּב יְהוָה     returnedIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.

Remember, בְּ can give the time in which a verb takes place. Translate it accordingly.
אֶת־שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן   [the] restoration of If you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
הָיִינוּ כְּחֹלְמִים  we were  dreamersIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.

אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ    was filled [with] laughter our If you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.

The last word is a tough one, since only the first consonant of the lexical form is here! The נוּ suffix means “our,” and you’ll see it more than once in this passage.
וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה   and our  [with] a ringing cryIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
אָז יֹאמְרוּ בַגּוֹיִם    they said   nationsIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
הִגְדִּיל יְהוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת   “Great things  has doneIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.

This is tough: the verb הִגְדִּיל means “he has done great things,” and the infinitive לַעֲשׂוֹת means “to do,” which is unnecessary to translate in English.
עִם־אֵלֶּה    ”If you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.

הִגְדִּיל יְהוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת   Great things  has doneIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
עִמָּנוּ    usIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
הָיִינוּ שְׂמֵחִים   we were joyful

שׁוּבָה יְהוָה   Return, [O] If you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
אֶת־שְׁבִיתֵ⁠נוּ   our restoration
כַּאֲפִיקִים בַּנֶּגֶב    streams  NegevIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.

The כַּ that starts כַּאֲפִיקִים appears to indicate an absorbed definite article. But in this case, it is rather the א to follow that causes the a-class vowel.

הַזֹּרְעִים בְּדִמְעָה   sowers  tearsIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
בְּרִנָּה יִקְצֹרוּ    a ringing cry they will reapIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.

הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ   Going he goes
וּבָכֹה    weepingIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
נֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ־הַזָּרַע   carries [the] bag of  seedIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
בֹּא־יָבוֹא בְרִנָּה   he will surely come  a ringing cryIf you are enrolled in this course, log in to continue where you left off.
נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמֹּתָיו   carrying his sheaves