# Aramaic: חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵא אַל יְבַהֲלָךְ



## risotto

Hello, everyone.

This is from Daniel:

אֱדַיִן דָּנִיֵּאל דִּי שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר אֶשְׁתּוֹמַם כְּשָׁעָה חֲדָה וְרַעְיֹנֹהִי יְבַהֲלֻנֵּהּ עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵא אַל יְבַהֲלָךְ עָנֵה בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר וְאָמַר מראי [מָרִי] חֶלְמָא לשנאיך [לְשָׂנְאָךְ] וּפִשְׁרֵהּ לעריך [לְעָרָךְ]. 

Why is the verb יְבַהֲלָךְ singular? It should be plural given that its subject is חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵא.

Thank you.


----------



## Abaye

The question _is 'A and B' singular or plural_ is relevant to many languages, with various answers. For example: the A and B / singular or plural. It depends on whether you regard "the dream and (its) interpretation" as one thing or two.


----------



## Ali Smith

"its interpretation"? I don't see a pronoun in חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵא אַל יְבַהֲלָךְ. Do you?


----------



## Abaye

So many translations contain "its": Daniel 4:19 Translations | Biblehub.
Don't let the fact that translation is typically sort of interpretation frighten you.


----------



## Ali Smith

אֱדַ֨יִן דָּֽנִיֵּ֜אל דִּֽי־שְׁמֵ֣הּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֗ר אֶשְׁתֹּומַם֙ כְּשָׁעָ֣ה חֲדָ֔ה וְרַעְיֹנֹ֖הִי יְבַהֲלֻנֵּ֑הּ עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֗ר בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ חֶלְמָ֤א וּפִשְׁרֵא֙ אַֽל־יְבַהֲלָ֔ךְ עָנֵ֤ה בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ וְאָמַ֔ר [מָרְאִי כ] (מָרִ֕י ק) חֶלְמָ֥א [לְשָׂנְאַיִךְ כ] (לְשָֽׂנְאָ֖ךְ ק) וּפִשְׁרֵ֥הּ [לְעָרַיִךְ כ] (לְעָרָֽךְ ׃ ק)

(Dan 4:19)

The final syllable of וּפִשְׁרֵא has a צירי rather than a קמץ, which shows that the Masoretes understood it to mean וּפִשְׁרֵהּ 'its interpretation', not 'the interpretation'.


----------

