OET interlinear 1COR 4:7

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

σε & ἔχεις & ἔλαβες & ἔλαβες & καυχᾶσαι & λαβών

you & ˱you˲_/are/_having & ˱you˲_received & ˱you˲_received & ˱you˲_/are/_boasting & /having/_received

In this verse, Paul uses the singular form for you. He does this in order to directly address each specific person among the Corinthian believers. In the next verse, he again uses the plural form of “you.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τίς & σε διακρίνει?

who & you /is/_distinguishing

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 “no one.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question as an emphatic statement. Alternate translation: [there is no one who makes you superior.]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί & ἔχεις ὃ οὐκ ἔλαβες?

what & ˱you˲_/are/_having which not ˱you˲_received

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 “nothing.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question as an emphatic statement. Alternate translation: [there is nothing that you have that you did not receive.] or [you received everything that you have.]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλαβες

if and also ˱you˲_received

Paul is speaking as if “receiving it” were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might think that what Paul is saying is not certain, then you could translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: [And since you indeed received it]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί καυχᾶσαι ὡς μὴ λαβών?

what why ˱you˲_/are/_boasting as not /having/_received

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. Here, there is no answer to the question, since that is exactly Paul’s point. There is no reason for them to boast. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this question as an imperative or a “should” statement. Alternate translation: [do not boast as if you did not receive it.] or [you should not boast as if you did not receive it.]

Note 6 topic: writing-pronouns

(Occurrence 2) ἔλαβες & λαβών

˱you˲_received & /having/_received

Here, both uses of it refer back to what the Corinthians have. If your language does not use it to refer to an unstated “thing,” you can use a word or phrase that does refer clearly back to what the Corinthians have. Alternate translation: [you received everything … you did … receive everything] or [you received what you have … you did … receive what you have]