OET interlinear COL 3:21

uW Translation Notes:

οἱ πατέρες

¬The Fathers

Here Paul directly addresses the Fathers in the audience. Use a form in your language that indicates that the speaker is singling out a specific group of people as the intended audience of the following words. Alternate translation: “You fathers”

Note 1 topic: translate-unknown

μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν

not /be/_provoking the children ˱of˲_you_all

The word provoke in this context refers to irritating someone or making them angry. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable expression or a short phrase. Alternate translation: “do not irritate your children” or “do not provoke your children to anger”

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν

in_order_that not ˱they˲_/may_be/_losing_heart

This clause indicates the goal or purpose of the previous command, but this purpose is in the negative. If your language has a customary way to indicate a negative purpose, you could use it here. Alternate translation: “lest they be discouraged”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν

not not ˱they˲_/may_be/_losing_heart

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form with the Fathers as the subject. Alternate translation: “you may not discourage them”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ἀθυμῶσιν

˱they˲_/may_be/_losing_heart

The phrase they may … be discouraged describes the feeling of despair or hopelessness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that expresses this idea. Alternate translation: “they may … despair” or “they may … lose heart”