uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω

if ˱with˲_the tongues ¬the ˱of˲_humans ˱I˲_/may_be/_speaking and ¬the ˱of˲_angels love but not ˱I˲_/may_be/_having

Connecting Statement:

Here Paul is using a hypothetical situation to teach the Corinthians. He wants them to imagine that he could speak with tongues of men and of angels but also that he did not have love. He uses himself in this hypothetical situation so that he does not offend the Corinthians by using them as an example of people without love. Use a natural way in your language to introduce a hypothetical situation. Alternate translation: [Suppose that I could speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but also suppose that I did not have love.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ταῖς γλώσσαις

˱with˲_the tongues

Here, tongues refers to something that one does with one’s “tongue,” which is to speak a language. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate that tongues is a way of speaking about “languages” by using a comparable term or expressing the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [with the languages] or [in the words]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων & καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων

˱with˲_the tongues ¬the ˱of˲_humans & and ¬the ˱of˲_angels

Here Paul refers to two specific categories of tongues: those of men and those of angels. He does not mean that these are the only kinds of tongues that exist, but he does think that these two kinds do exist. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express tongues of men and of angels with a normal way to refer to various human languages and then also modify it so that you could use it for angelic languages. Alternate translation: [foreign languages and angelic languages]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἀγάπην & μὴ ἔχω

love & not ˱I˲_/may_be/_having

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind love, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “love.” Alternate translation: [I do not love people]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον

˱I˲_/have/_become brass resounding or /a/_cymbal screaming

Here Paul speaks as if he were a metallic instrument that makes loud noises. He speaks in this way because he wants to argue that tongues without love are noisy, like an instrument, but they do not actually help others. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [I have become loud but useless] or [I have become like loud radio static]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον

brass resounding or /a/_cymbal screaming

Here Paul refers to two different loud, metallic instruments in his culture. If your culture does not have two different loud instruments made of metal, you could refer to just one here. Further, if your culture does not use metal instruments, you could refer to two or one instruments that make a loud noise. Alternate translation: [a noisy cymbal] or [a loud drum]

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

χαλκὸς ἠχῶν

brass resounding

Here, a noisy gong refers to the sound that comes when someone hits a flat metal object. A gong is a metal instrument that someone hits to make a deep, booming sound. You could use a word that identifies a metal instrument in your culture, especially if it makes a loud sound. Alternate translation: [a loud bell]

Note 8 topic: translate-unknown

κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον

/a/_cymbal screaming

A cymbal is a thin, round metal plate that someone hits with a stick or another cymbal to create a loud crashing sound (clanging). You could use a word that describes another metal instrument in your culture, especially if it makes a loud, harsh sound. Alternate translation: [loud percussion]