能あたわず

auxiliary verb

cannot do; unable to do; impossible to do

Archaic or highly literary auxiliary verb equivalent to modern できない. Used after the continuative form (連用形) of a verb. In modern Japanese, it appears mainly in set phrases, classical quotations, or deliberately formal writing.

• 彼かれの努ど力りょくも及およばず、ついに成なし能あたわずして終おわった。

  Even his efforts fell short, and in the end he was unable to accomplish it.

• 古こ典てんでは「言いう能あたわず」のように使つかわれる。

  In classical texts, it is used like 言う能わず (unable to say).