OET interlinear EST 8:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וַ⁠יִּקָּרְא֣וּ סֹפְרֵֽי־הַ⁠מֶּ֣לֶךְ

and,summoned secretaries the=king

This indicates that what is described in this verse was done because of what the king said in the previous verse. Use a connecting word or phrase to show this in your language.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

וַ⁠יִּקָּרְא֣וּ סֹפְרֵֽי־הַ⁠מֶּ֣לֶךְ

and,summoned secretaries the=king

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “the king called his scribes”

וַ⁠יִּקָּרְא֣וּ סֹפְרֵֽי־הַ⁠מֶּ֣לֶךְ

and,summoned secretaries the=king

If you use an expression such as “called,” make sure your readers will understand that the king likely sent an official to go and bring the scribes back with him. The king did not call out in a loud voice to get them to come.

Note 3 topic: translate-ordinal

בַּ⁠חֹ֨דֶשׁ הַ⁠שְּׁלִישִׁ֜י

in/on/at/with,month the=third

Alternate translation: “in month three”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בַּ⁠חֹ֨דֶשׁ הַ⁠שְּׁלִישִׁ֜י

in/on/at/with,month the=third

It would still be the same year as in 3:7, the twelfth year that Ahasuerus reigned as king of Persia. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “in the third month of the year”

Note 5 topic: translate-hebrewmonths

הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ סִיוָ֗ן

he/it month Sivan

Sivan is the name of the third month of the Hebrew calendar. Alternate translation: “the month of Sivan”

הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ סִיוָ֗ן

he/it month Sivan

The story is being recorded from the perspective of the Persian court, but for the benefit of its intended Jewish audience, the Hebrew name of the month is given. This month overlaps with May and June on a Western calendar.

Note 6 topic: translate-ordinal

בִּ⁠שְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה וְ⁠עֶשְׂרִים֮ בּ⁠וֹ֒

in/on/at/with,three and=twenty in/on/over=him/it

Alternation translation: “on day 23” or “on the twenty-third day of the month” The exact date of the letter helps to establish its legal authority. This would be on June 25th of a Western calendar.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

וַ⁠יִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽ⁠כָל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה מָרְדֳּכַ֣י

and,written according_to,all which/who commanded Mārəddəkay

You can say this with an active form. Alternate translation: “and they wrote in a letter everything that Mordecai dictated to them”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אֶל־הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֡ים

to/towards the,Jews

It appears from verse 11 that the letter would have been addressed specifically to the Jews in the empire, telling them that the king had authorized them to defend themselves. But copies were also sent to all the royal and provincial officials. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “the letter addressed the Jews in the empire, but copies were also sent”

וְ⁠אֶ֣ל הָ⁠אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִֽים־וְ⁠הַ⁠פַּחוֹת֩ וְ⁠שָׂרֵ֨י הַ⁠מְּדִינ֜וֹת

and=near/to the,satraps and,the,governors and,officials the,provinces

See how you translated these terms in 3:12, where they were used to describe who received Haman’s letter. These are all people in government positions. The first one is the governor of the province and the other two are rulers under him who govern cities or smaller areas. If your language uses one term for all of these, you could use that with a descriptive phrase such as “to the government leaders of each province and also to the leaders under him.”

אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ מֵ⁠הֹ֣דּוּ וְ⁠עַד־כּ֗וּשׁ שֶׁ֣בַע וְ⁠עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּ⁠מֵאָה֙ מְדִינָ֔ה

which/who from,India and=unto Kush seven and=twenty and,one_hundred provinces

This is background information explaining how far this new letter had to be sent. See how you translated this phrase in 1:1. Alternate translation: “the empire of Ahasuerus had 127 provinces, stretching all the way from India in the east to Ethiopia in the west”

Note 9 topic: translate-numbers

שֶׁ֣בַע וְ⁠עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּ⁠מֵאָה֙ מְדִינָ֔ה

seven and=twenty and,one_hundred provinces

Alternate translation: “one hundred and twenty-seven provinces”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

מְדִינָ֤ה וּ⁠מְדִינָה֙

province and,province

This expression means “to people in every province.” Alternate translation: “the scribes wrote to the people in each province”

כִּ⁠כְתָבָ֔⁠הּ

in,script,its_own

Alternate translation: “using its own alphabet” or “written in its own script”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠עַ֥ם וָ⁠עָ֖ם

and,people and,people

This expression means “every people group.” Alternate translation: “and to each ethnic group”

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

כִּ⁠לְשֹׁנ֑⁠וֹ

in,language,its_own

Here, tongue means the language spoken by a person or a group of people. Alternate translation: “in its own language”

וְ⁠אֶ֨ל־הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֔ים כִּ⁠כְתָבָ֖⁠ם וְ⁠כִ⁠לְשׁוֹנָֽ⁠ם

and=near/to the,Jews in,script,their_own and,in,language,their

The Jews would have been included among all the people groups in the empire in the phrase “people by people.” So this seems to be saying, “and especially to the Jews.” Verse 11 explains that it was particularly important for the Jews to read the letter because it gave them the right to defend themselves. Alternate translation: “they wrote especially to the Jews in their own script and in their own language”