152 FORMS OF HEBREW POETRY
follows, and that we should read both periods
alike with five stresses
Mds ynycq hvhy rbd vfmw
hdmf Mf vnyhlx trvt vnyzxh
Hear the-word of-Yahweh, judges of-Sodom,
Give-ear-to the-law of-our-God, people of-Gomorrah„
xFvH yvg yvh
Nvf dbk Mf
Ah! sinful nation,
People laden with iniquity.
This Sievers reads thus-
xFvH-yvg yvh
Nvf dbk-Mf
and so far observes the rule which I am suggesting
that he leaves both the parallel terms yvg and Mf
unstressed; on the other hand, Nn1rr and its
parallel Nvf dbk do not receive the same treat-
ment, though they are quite capable of so doing.
A more probable reading of the lines will be
either
xFvH yvg-yvh
Nvf-dbk Mf
or
xFvH yvg | yvh
Nvf-dbk Mf
I take as a last example an apparent exception
to the law. Lamentations i. 1 reads—