OET interlinear DEU 15:17

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-symaction

וְ⁠לָקַחְתָּ֣ אֶת־הַ⁠מַּרְצֵ֗עַ וְ⁠נָתַתָּ֤ה בְ⁠אָזְנ⁠וֹ֙ וּ⁠בַ⁠דֶּ֔לֶת

(Some words not found in UHB: and,you_will_take DOM the,awl and=you(ms)_will_give in,ear_of,his and,in,door and=it_was to/for=yourself(m) slave_of forever and,also to/for=your(ms)=female_slave you(ms)_will_make yes/correct/thus/so )

Piercing a slave’s ear against the door of their master’s house was a symbolic action by which the master showed that the person whose ear they were piercing would be their slave for life. (The ear was significant because it symbolized obedience since it was with their ears that a slave would hear their master’s commands. The door was significant because it represented the master’s household to which the slave now belonged for life. The hole in the servant’s ear would be a life long visible symbol that the servant belonged to their master.) If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action in a footnote.

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

אֶת־הַ⁠מַּרְצֵ֗עַ

DOM (Some words not found in UHB: and,you_will_take DOM the,awl and=you(ms)_will_give in,ear_of,his and,in,door and=it_was to/for=yourself(m) slave_of forever and,also to/for=your(ms)=female_slave you(ms)_will_make yes/correct/thus/so )

An awl is a sharp, pointed tool, usually made out of metal for making holes. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of tool, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [a sharp tool]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

עוֹלָ֑ם

forever

Here Moses is speaking of someone’s lifespan as if it were forever. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [until he dies]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠אַ֥ף לַ⁠אֲמָתְ⁠ךָ֖ תַּעֲשֶׂה־כֵּֽן

and,also to/for=your(ms)=female_slave (Some words not found in UHB: and,you_will_take DOM the,awl and=you(ms)_will_give in,ear_of,his and,in,door and=it_was to/for=yourself(m) slave_of forever and,also to/for=your(ms)=female_slave you(ms)_will_make yes/correct/thus/so )

The implication is that the owner must also pierce a female servant’s ear if she wants to stay with him and his family. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [And if any of your female servants wants to stay with you, you shall also pierce her ear and let her be your slave for the rest of her life]