And instead of a sweet smell there shall be stench, and instead of a girdle, a cord, and instead of curled hair, baldness, and instead of a stomacher, haircloth.
Ibn Ezra
בושם Sweet smell. It keeps the body fresh and healthy. מק Rottenness is nearly the opposite of the preceding. Root מקק, to rot; verb, ע״ע; comp. תמקנה They shall consume away (Zac. 14:2). נקפה A noun; נ is radical; we may fairly compare with it ונקף And he shall cut down (10:34); its mean-is a kind of cutting. מעשה מקשה Well set hair; comp. עשה שפמו ולא Nor trimmed his beard (1 Sam. 19:25). פתיגיל A fine embroidered garment, which is worn over all the dresses. כי תחת יופי According to Saadiah: for the contrary (תחת) is more fit for them; others take כויה = כי burning (Exod. 21:24); comp. ברויה = ברי (root רוה) with plenty (Job. 37:11); but this is contrary to the rules of the grammar, since ו in כויה is radical. I think the passage must be taken in this sense: For instead of beauty, the above-mentioned consumption, destruction and baldness shall come.
Hebrew and Aramaic words are the commentator’s citations of the sacred text; the English translation that follows each is the translator’s.
Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.