OET interlinear EST 9:22

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כַּ⁠יָּמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר

like,days which/who

This verse gives the reason for what Mordecai told the Jews to do in the previous verse. Alternate translation: [because those were the days when]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נָ֨חוּ בָ⁠הֶ֤ם הַ⁠יְּהוּדִים֙ מֵ⁠א֣וֹיְבֵי⁠הֶ֔ם

gained_relief in/among=them the,Jews from,enemies_of,their

As in verses 16, 17, and 18, resting here is a figurative way of saying that they no longer needed to fight against their enemies because they had won the battle. Alternate translation: [the Jews stopped fighting because they had defeated their enemies]

וְ⁠הַ⁠חֹ֗דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר֩

and,the,month which/who

Alternate translation: [And that was the month when]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

נֶהְפַּ֨ךְ לָ⁠הֶ֤ם מִ⁠יָּגוֹן֙ לְ⁠שִׂמְחָ֔ה וּ⁠מֵ⁠אֵ֖בֶל לְ⁠י֣וֹם ט֑וֹב

turned to/for=them from,sorrow into,joy and,from,mourning into,a_day good

These two phrases mean similar things. The repetition is used to emphasize how dramatic and wonderful the change was. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases and say something like “after being very sad, they became very happy.” Alternate translation: [they changed from being very sorrowful and crying to being very joyful and celebrating]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

נֶהְפַּ֨ךְ לָ⁠הֶ֤ם מִ⁠יָּגוֹן֙ לְ⁠שִׂמְחָ֔ה וּ⁠מֵ⁠אֵ֖בֶל לְ⁠י֣וֹם ט֑וֹב

turned to/for=them from,sorrow into,joy and,from,mourning into,a_day good

It is implicit that the Jews were deeply distressed because they were being threatened with destruction, and they became very happy once they were safe from all their enemies. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that here. Alternate translation: [everything had changed for them. They had been deeply distressed because they were threatened with destruction. But they became very happy once they were safe from all their enemies]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נֶהְפַּ֨ךְ לָ⁠הֶ֤ם מִ⁠יָּגוֹן֙ לְ⁠שִׂמְחָ֔ה

turned to/for=them from,sorrow into,joy

Turning represents changing. Alternate translation: [they changed from being very sad to being joyful]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מִ⁠יָּגוֹן֙ לְ⁠שִׂמְחָ֔ה

from,sorrow into,joy

The abstract nouns sorrow and joy can be expressed with adjectives such as “distressed” and “happy.”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לַ⁠עֲשׂ֣וֹת אוֹתָ֗⁠ם יְמֵי֙

for=doing ,them days_of

These are things that Mordecai is telling the Jews to do in his letters. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that here. Alternate translation: [so Mordecai told them to observe those days with]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / hendiadys

מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה וְ⁠שִׂמְחָ֔ה

feasting and,joy

As in verses 17, 18, and 19, this phrase expresses a single idea by using two words connected with “and.” The word “rejoicing” tells how the celebrating was to be done. Alternate translation: [joyful celebration] or [feasting joyfully]

וּ⁠מִשְׁל֤וֹחַ מָנוֹת֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְ⁠רֵעֵ֔⁠הוּ

and_[the],sending_of portions (a)_man to,neighbor_of,his

See how you translated this in verse 19. Review the notes there if that would be helpful. Alternate translation: [and by giving gifts to one another]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

אִ֣ישׁ לְ⁠רֵעֵ֔⁠הוּ

(a)_man to,neighbor_of,his

Here, a man means “a person.” The term friend would include family members and neighbors as well as social friends. Alternate translation: [to one another]

Note 10 topic: translate-symaction

וּ⁠מַתָּנ֖וֹת לָֽ⁠אֶבְיוֹנִֽים

and,gifts to,[people]

In this culture as in many others, helping the poor was also a way of acknowledging a special occasion. The idea was that no one should miss out on the benefits of the wonderful thing that God had done. Alternate translation: [Mordecai also told them that they should help the poor on those days]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ⁠מַתָּנ֖וֹת לָֽ⁠אֶבְיוֹנִֽים

and,gifts to,[people]

This is also something that Mordecai is telling the Jews to do in his letters. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that here. Alternate translation: [Mordecai also told them that they should give gifts to the poor on those days]