OET interlinear ECC 1:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי אֲנִ֤י עִם לִבִּ⁠י֙

said I with heart_of,my

Qoheleth is using I spoke, I, with my heart as a common expression of the culture to mean “I reflected within myself.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [I reflected within myself]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי אֲנִ֤י עִם לִבִּ⁠י֙

said I with heart_of,my

The pronoun I refers to Qoheleth, who is stating it separately for emphasis. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [I myself spoke with my heart]

Note 3 topic: writing-quotations

לֵ⁠אמֹ֔ר

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 / metonymy

לְ⁠פָנַ֖⁠י עַל יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם

to/for=my=face/front on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in Yərūshālam/(Jerusalem)

Here, before my face represents “before me” or “prior to me.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [before me in Jerusalem]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠לִבִּ֛⁠י רָאָ֥ה הַרְבֵּ֖ה חָכְמָ֥ה וָ⁠דָֽעַת

and,heart_of,my had_~_experience great wisdom and,knowledge

Here Qoheleth is speaking as if wisdom and knowledge were things that his heart could see. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and I have come to understand much wisdom and knowledge]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חָכְמָ֥ה וָ⁠דָֽעַת

wisdom and,knowledge

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of wisdom and knowledge, you could express the same ideas in other ways. Alternate translation: [how wise I was and how much I knew]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

חָכְמָ֥ה וָ⁠דָֽעַת

wisdom and,knowledge

The terms wisdom and knowledge mean similar things. Qoheleth is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [great wisdom]