OET interlinear 1COR 11:14

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὐδὲ ἡ φύσις αὐτὴ διδάσκει ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἀνὴρ μὲν ἐὰν κομᾷ, ἀτιμία αὐτῷ ἐστιν;

not_even ¬the nature itself /is/_teaching you_all that /a/_man on_one_hand if /may_be/_having_long_hair /a/_dishonor ˱to˲_him ˱it˲_is

This is the first part of a rhetorical question that continues into the next verse. Paul does not ask this question because he is looking for information. Rather, he asks it to involve the Corinthians in what he is arguing. The question assumes that the answer is “yes, it does.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question with a strong affirmation. If you use the following alternate translation, you will need to translate the beginning of the next verse as a separate affirmation. Alternate translation: [Even nature itself teaches you that if a man might have long hair, it is a disgrace for him.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

οὐδὲ ἡ φύσις αὐτὴ διδάσκει ὑμᾶς

not_even ¬the nature itself /is/_teaching you_all

Here, nature is spoken of as though it were a person who could teach someone. Paul speaks in this way to emphasize what the Corinthians should learn from nature. If this might be confusing for your readers, you could express this meaning in a nonfigurative way. Alternate translation: [Does not even nature itself show you] or [Do you not understand from nature itself]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

ἡ φύσις αὐτὴ

¬the nature itself

Here, nature refers to the way things work in the world. The word does not refer simply to the “natural world” but rather can include everything that exists and how it all functions. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express nature with a word or phrase that refers to “the way things work.” Alternate translation: [how the world itself works] or [what naturally happens]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rpronouns

ἡ φύσις αὐτὴ

¬the nature itself

Here, itself focuses attention on nature. If itself would not draw attention in this way in your language, you could express the attention or focus in another way. Alternate translation: [nature] or [nature indeed]

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

ἀνὴρ μὲν ἐὰν κομᾷ, ἀτιμία αὐτῷ ἐστιν

/a/_man on_one_hand if /may_be/_having_long_hair /a/_dishonor ˱to˲_him ˱it˲_is

Here Paul uses if to introduce a true possibility. He means that a man might have long hair, or he might not. He specifies the result for if a man does have long hair. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form by stating the if statement by introducing it with a word such as “when” or by avoiding the if structure. Alternate translation: [when a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him] or [it is a disgrace for a man to have long hair]

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

κομᾷ

/may_be/_having_long_hair

Here Paul uses a word that refers to someone letting his or her hair grow long. It is not clear how long the hair must be to count as long hair. Use a word or phrase that refers to what your culture would consider long hair. Alternate translation: [lets his hair grow long]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἀτιμία αὐτῷ ἐστιν

/a/_dishonor ˱to˲_him ˱it˲_is

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind disgrace, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “disgrace” or an adjective such as “disgraceful.” Alternate translation: [it disgraces him]