ⲟⲩⲁⲛⲁⲅⲛⲱⲥⲓⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲓⲡⲁⲥⲭⲁ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ
ⲧⲁϫⲟⲙ ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲁⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲡⲉ ⲡ⳪: ⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲉⲩⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣⲓⲁ [ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ]
This is from psalm 117:14 or 13 depending on the numbering version. In other editions it would possibly be psalm 118
This is also part of a Paschal hymn in the Coptic church. The hymn adds ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ at the end of the verse. There are two opinions about its grammatical construction.
1. ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ is a term that is used predominantly to describe the Lord hence it refers to the Lord in this phrases eg the verse could have been written
ⲧⲁϫⲟⲙ ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲁⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲡⲉ ⲡ⳪ [ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ]: ⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲉⲩⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣⲓⲁ
The other reason is that ⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣⲓⲁ σωτηρία has never been described with the qualitative verb ⲟⲩⲁⲃ
2. ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ should have been ⲉⲥⲟⲩⲁⲃ referring to the salvation esp. that the Arabic translation reads
قوتي وتسبحتي هو الرب وصار لي خلاصا مقدسا
3. The word is a relative pronoun for the Lord ⲡ⳪̅ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ
There is an ongoing debate on ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ and whether to preserve it as it is as it refers to the Lord or to change it as it should refer to the salvation.
ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ and ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ have different grammatical structure
ⲉϥ— is 3rd person m. present tense (Mallon, 1956),
According to Lambdin (1983) it is called circumstantial
The Circumstantial is used only in subordinate clauses modifying either a particular element of the main clause or the main clause as a whole. Such clauses describe an activity or state existing simultaneously with the time designated by the verb of the main clause and do not, in themselves, have a tense. They correspond to various English constructions: nominative absolutes, participial modifiers, or temporal clauses with "as, while, when" and a progressive verb form.
ⲉⲧ—/ⲉⲑ— is a relative pronoun (AE ntj) for definite nouns. with indefinite nouns it is ⲉ⸗
Hence, the real issue is whether ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ represents 3rd present/circumstantial for ⲡ⳪, or relative pronoun for the indefinite ⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣⲓⲁ (ⲉ⸗),
I am looking forward to hearing your opinions.
For context, this verse is from a Paschal hymn ⲑⲱⲕⲧⲉ ϯϫⲟⲙ ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲓⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲓⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲓⲁⲙⲁϩⲓ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ
The construction is reminiscent of
ⲫⲱϥⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲁⲙⲁϩⲓ ⲛⲉⲙϯϫⲟⲙ ⲫⲱϥⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲉⲙⲓ ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲓⲕⲁϯ Job 12:13
ⲫⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲫⲱϥⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙⲡⲓⲁⲙⲁϩⲓ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ. Daniel D88
