Hebrew

Noun

נֶפֶשׁ • ‎(néfesh) f ‎(plural indefinite נְפָשׁוֹת, singular construct נֶפֶשׁ־, plural construct נַפְשׁוֹת־) [pattern: קֶטֶל]

1. a soul (spirit of a person or animal)
2. life (the state of being alive, of living)
   • Genesis 9:5, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וּמִיַּד הָאָדָם מִיַּד אִישׁ אָחִיו אֶדְרֹשׁ אֶת־נֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם

     umiyád haadám miyád ísh achív edrósh et-néfesh haadám

     and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man

3. a person (human being)
   • Genesis 36:6, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     וַיִּקַּח עֵשָׂו אֶת־נָשָׁיו וְאֶת־בָּנָיו וְאֶת־בְּנֹתָיו וְאֶת־כָּל־נַפְשׁוֹת בֵּיתוֹ וְאֶת־מִקְנֵהוּ וְאֶת־כָּל־בְּהֶמְתּוֹ וְאֵת כָּל־קִנְיָנוֹ

     vayikách esáv et-nasháv v'et-banáv v'et-b'notáv v'et-kol-nafshót betó v'et-miknéhu v'et-kol-b'hemtó v'ét kol-kinyanó

     And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his possessions

   • Leviticus 21:1, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא־יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו

     l'néfesh lo-yitamá b'amáv

     There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people

4. will (intent, volition)
   • Genesis 23:8, with translation of the Jewish Publication Society:

     אִם־יֵשׁ אֶת־נַפְשְׁכֶם לִקְבֹּר אֶת־מֵתִי מִלְּפָנַי

     im-yésh et-nafsh'chém likbór et-metí mil'fanáy

     If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight

5. (dated) breath
   • Job 41:13, with translation of the New International Version:

     נַפְשׁוֹ גֶּחָלִים תְּלַהֵט וְלַהַב מִפִּיו יֵצֵא׃‎ ― Its breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from its mouth.

Declension

Derived terms

• (will): מה נפשך
• (life): שם נפשו בכפו

Descendants

• English: nephesh

Etymology 2

Verb

נָפַשׁ • ‎(nafásh) ‎(pa'al construction)

1. to go on holiday/vacation