OET interlinear DEU 16:19

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט

not distort justice

Here, Moses is speaking of a judgment as if it were a physical object that one could twist to mean that the evidence has been unfairly changed to favor a certain outcome. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [You shall not act unjustly when you make a decision]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מִשְׁפָּ֔ט

justice

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of judgment, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the decision of a legal case]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים

not you_regard faces

Here, recognize a face is a common expression that means “show partiality.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have this meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [you shall not play favorites] or [you shall not show partiality]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּ֣י

that/for/because/then/when

The word translated as for indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [because]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים

blinds both_eyes_of wise

Here, Moses is speaking of a wise person making an unjust judgement as if the bribe blinds his eyes to the injustice. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [causes a wise person to ignore what is right]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וִֽ⁠יסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם

and,twists words_of righteous

Here, Moses is speaking of a righteous person making an unjust judgement as if the bribe perverts his words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and causes the righteous ones to make wrong decisions]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

חֲכָמִ֔ים & צַדִּיקִֽם

wise & righteous

Moses is using the adjectives wise and righteous as nouns to mean wise people and righteous people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [wise people … righteous people]