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אימתיי

English translation: When


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15:40 Aug 15, 2008
Hebrew to English translations [Non-PRO]
Other / Hillel
Hebrew term or phrase: אימתיי
Hi,

Here's the famous quote:

אם אין אני לי, מי לי; וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני; ואם לא עכשיו, אימתיי.

My query: what is the exact force of אימתיי?

Is is just "When?", or is it an emphatic "When?" i.e. "When, oh when?" or some such thing, please?

Best wishes,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:54
English translation:When
Explanation:
It just a nice word to say when. In this context it means if not now than when? - when will it be a better time than now?
It's even maybe a little rhetorical in nature, to emphasize that now is the time to take an action- now or never kind of thing.
This is how I see it. Maybe others will contribute some other perspectives.
Selected response from:

Shai Nave
Israel
Local time: 12:54
Grading comment
many thanks excellent
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4When
Shai Nave


  

Answers


46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
When


Explanation:
It just a nice word to say when. In this context it means if not now than when? - when will it be a better time than now?
It's even maybe a little rhetorical in nature, to emphasize that now is the time to take an action- now or never kind of thing.
This is how I see it. Maybe others will contribute some other perspectives.

Shai Nave
Israel
Local time: 12:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in HebrewHebrew, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
many thanks excellent

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  sibsab
7 mins
agree  Smantha
22 mins
agree  elli_fischer: I don't think it has a particular literary/ rhetorical sense. Rather, it's the standard Mishnaic term for "when?" - see also mBrachot 1:1
4 hrs
agree  judithyf
3 days21 hrs
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