OET interlinear DEU 20:5

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

וְ⁠דִבְּר֣וּ הַ⁠שֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ אֶל־הָ⁠עָ֣ם לֵ⁠אמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָ⁠אִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְ⁠לֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔⁠וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: and,they_will_say the,officials to/towards the,people to=say who? the=man which/who built house new and=not he,has_dedicated_it go and,let_him_return to,house_of,his lest die in,battle and,a_man next/another he,will_dedicate_it )

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this quotation in such a way that there is not a quotation within a quotation. This quote continues until the end of verse seven. Alternate translation: [And the officers shall ask the people if there is any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it. They shall tell him to go]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מִֽי־הָ⁠אִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְ⁠לֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔⁠וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְ⁠יָשֹׁ֣ב לְ⁠בֵית֑⁠וֹ

who? the=man (Some words not found in UHB: and,they_will_say the,officials to/towards the,people to=say who? the=man which/who built house new and=not he,has_dedicated_it go and,let_him_return to,house_of,his lest die in,battle and,a_man next/another he,will_dedicate_it )

Moses is using a question form followed by an instruction phrase in verses 5–8 for listing those exempted from military service. This pattern creates a formal, rhythmic structure in these military instructions. If your language would not use a pattern of phrases in this way, you could express these as statements rather than questions. Alternate translation: [Any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it should go and return to his house] or [If a man has built a new house and has not dedicated it, he must return home]

Note 3 topic: writing-quotations

לֵ⁠אמֹר֒

to=say

The term saying introduces a direct quotation. In your translation, use a natural way of introducing direct quotations in your language. It may not be necessary to represent this term explicitly.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מִֽי־הָ⁠אִ֞ישׁ

who? the=man

Here, the man represents men in general, not a specific man. Moses is referring to any Israelite soldier who fits this description. The same pattern occurs in verses 6–8 with other categories of men who may return home. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use an expression that would be more natural in your language. Alternate translation: [Is there any man]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠לֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔⁠וֹ

and=not he,has_dedicated_it

The expression dedicated it refers to an ancient Israelite practice of ceremonially setting apart a new house, likely through a religious ceremony asking for God’s blessing before moving in. (Nothing more is known about this than appears in this text.) Moses assumes his audience would understand this cultural practice. If this information is not clear to your readers, you could make it more explicit. Alternate translation: [and has not dedicated it in a special ceremony] or [and has not formally celebrated its completion with a ceremony]

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּ⁠מִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְ⁠אִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽ⁠נּוּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and,they_will_say the,officials to/towards the,people to=say who? the=man which/who built house new and=not he,has_dedicated_it go and,let_him_return to,house_of,his lest die in,battle and,a_man next/another he,will_dedicate_it )

Moses is using the word translated as lest to introduce an outcome that he does not want to happen. Because of this, he first gives an instruction to follow so that this will not happen. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that avoiding this outcome is the purpose of the instruction. Alternate translation: [otherwise, he may die in battle and another man will dedicate it]