OET interlinear 1COR 14:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται

in the law ˱it˲_/has_been/_written

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to emphasize the words rather than emphasizing whoever wrote the words. If you must state who did the action, you can use a vague or indefinite subject. Alternate translation: [In the Law someone wrote] or [They wrote in the Law]

Note 2 topic: writing-quotations

ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται

in the law ˱it˲_/has_been/_written

In Paul’s culture, it is written is a normal way to introduce a quotation from an important text, in this case, the Old Testament book titled “Isaiah” (See: Isaiah 28:11–12). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase that indicates that Paul is quoting from an important text. Alternate translation: [It can be read in the Law] or [In the Law, the book of Isaiah says]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν τῷ νόμῳ

in the law

Here, Law refers to all of the scriptures of Israel that we call the Old Testament. It does not refer just to the first five books or to books that have “laws.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express Law with a term that refers more clearly to the Old Testament. Alternate translation: [In the Scriptures] or [In the Israelites’ sacred book]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

γέγραπται, ὅτι ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων, λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ καὶ οὐδ’ οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου, λέγει Κύριος

˱it˲_/has_been/_written ¬that by foreign_languages and by /the/_lips ˱of˲_others ˱I˲_/will_be/_speaking ¬the ˱to˲_people this and not_even thus ˱they˲_/will_be/_listening_to ˱from˲_me /is/_saying /the/_Lord

If you do not use this form in your language, you could translate these statements as indirect quotes instead of as direct quotes. Alternate translation: [it is written that by people of other tongues and by the lips of strangers God will speak to this people, but not even in this way will they hear him. So says the Lord]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων

in by foreign_languages and by /the/_lips ˱of˲_others

Here Paul quotes two phrases that mean basically the same thing. In Paul’s culture, poetry often included repetition of the same idea in different words. If your readers would not recognize this as poetry, and if they would misunderstand why Paul repeats the same idea, you could combine these two phrases into one. Alternate translation: [By strangers of other tongues]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἑτερογλώσσοις

foreign_languages

Here, tongues refers to words that people speak with their tongues. It primarily refers here to foreign languages, not primarily to unknown languages spoken in Christian worship. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express tongues with a word or phrase that refers to foreign languages. Alternate translation: [by people of other languages] or [people who speak different languages]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

χείλεσιν ἑτέρων

/the/_lips ˱of˲_others

Here, lips refers to words that people speak with their lips. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express lips with a word or phrase that refers to what people say. Alternate translation: [the words of strangers] or [the speech of strangers]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ

the ¬the ˱to˲_people this

The Corinthians would have understood this people to refer to the people of Israel. If your readers would not make this inference, you could indicate it explicitly. Alternate translation: [to the people of Israel]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ καὶ οὐδ’ οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου, λέγει Κύριος

˱I˲_/will_be/_speaking ¬the ˱to˲_people this and not_even thus ˱they˲_/will_be/_listening_to ˱from˲_me /is/_saying /the/_Lord

Here Paul includes says the Lord to indicate who spoke the words he quotes. If your language would indicate who is speaking before or in the middle of the quote, you could move says the Lord to a more natural place. Alternate translation: [I will speak to this people,’ says the Lord, ‘but not even in this way will they hear me.’]