<動詞の辞書形>　+　がよい ―　How is this allowed?


I've come across this form many times in my Japanese Bible. The meaning is
quite obvious based on context, and seems to be one of the following: `～べきです`,
`～ほうがいい`, `～なさい`, or `～ように` (let it be ～).

Here are a few verses with this form:

>   * 神を[畏]{おそ}れる人は皆、 **聞くがよい**... ― 詩編 ６６編１６節 ／ Come and hear, all who fear
> God... - Psalm 66:16
>   * イエスは、「友よ、しようとしていることを **するがよい** 」と言われた。すると人々は進み寄り、イエスに手をかけて捕らえた。 ―
> マタイによる福音書 ２６章５０節 ／ And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come
> for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. - Matthew 26:50
>   * イエスは、「さあ、あなたがただけで人里離れた所へ行って、しばらく **休むがよい** 」と言われた... － マルコによる福音書 ６章３１節 ／
> And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a
> while.” - Mark 6:31
>   * しかし、たとえわたしたち自身であれ、天使であれ、わたしたちがあなたがたに告げ知らせたものに反する福音を告げ知らせようとするならば、
> **呪われるがよい** 。 － ガラテヤの信徒への手紙１章８節 ／ But even if we, or an angel from heaven,
> should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he
> is to be cursed! - Galatians 1:8
>

How is this form "allowed" to exist without a `こと／の` following the verb? Is
this only a literary written form or something? Because I've never seen this
form anywhere except my Bible.




That structure came from classical Japanese (文語), which had been used in
formal writing until just after WWII. Technically those are not 辞書形 (終止形), but
連体形. In classical Japanese, the 連体形 of a verb can work as a noun, like 連体形 +
の/こと in modern Japanese (口語).




That structure came from classical Japanese (文語), which had been used in
formal writing until just after WWII. Technically those are not 辞書形 (終止形), but
連体形. In classical Japanese, the 連体形 of a verb can work as a noun, like 連体形 +
の/こと in modern Japanese (口語).

