אלוהים, סלח לי
Elohim, selach li
The phrase 'God, forgive me' in Hebrew is translated as אלוהים, סלח לי (Elohim, selach li).
This phrase is a prayer or a plea used to ask God for pardon for a sin or a mistake.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the standard masculine form is אלוהים, סלח לי, if the speaker is addressing God using a feminine grammatical gender, which occurs in some mystical or poetic Hebrew contexts, the verb changes to סלחי לי (selchi li).
How do you pronounce it?
Elohim, selach li
Did you know?
- Although אלוהים is grammatically a plural noun, it is almost always treated as a singular entity in Hebrew prayer and speech. This is known as the plural of majesty, where the plural form denotes greatness rather than a collection of many gods.
- Hebrew has a specific term 'Tshuva', meaning 'return', to describe the process of seeking forgiveness. It implies that asking for pardon is not just a plea, but a journey of returning to one's true self.
- The word אלוהים shares a linguistic root with the word 'el' (אל), which is one of the oldest names for a deity in the Levant. This connects the phrase to ancient Semitic traditions dating back thousands of years.
Examples in context
- אלוהים, סלח לי על הטעות שלי.God, forgive me for my mistake.
- אלוהים, סלח לי, טעיתי.Elohim, s'lach li, ta'iti.God, forgive me, I made a mistake.
- אלוהים, סלח לי על השתיקה שלי.Elohim, s'lach li al hashtika sheli.God, forgive me for my silence.
Example conversation
Ido is praying quietly in a room while Noa waits for him.
- עידו Idoאלוהים, סלח לי.Elohim, s'lach li.God, forgive me.
- נועה Noaעידו, מה קרה?Ido, ma kara?Ido, what happened?
- עידו Idoאני פשוט מרגיש רע.Ani pashut margish ra.I just feel bad.
- נועה Noaהכל יהיה בסדר.Hakol yihye beseder.Everything will be okay.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries אלוהים, CC BY-SA 4.0.
