OET interlinear EZRA 1:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-newevent

וּ⁠בִ⁠שְׁנַ֣ת

and=in=year_of

The word now introduces a new event in the story. Use the normal method for introducing the beginning of a true story in your language.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ⁠בִ⁠שְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת לְ⁠כ֨וֹרֶשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס

and=in=year_of one(fs) to/for=Coresh king Pāraş

The original Jewish readers of this book would have known that this is not a reference to the year when Cyrus first became king of the Persians. Rather, it is a reference to the later year when, by conquering Babylon, he became king over the Jews, since Babylon is the nation that had previously conquered the Jews and taken them into exile. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “During the first year after Cyrus, the king of Persia, conquered Babylon and became ruler over the Jews”

וּ⁠בִ⁠שְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת לְ⁠כ֨וֹרֶשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס

and=in=year_of one(fs) to/for=Coresh king Pāraş

This expression could mean that sometime during the first year that he ruled over the Jews, Cyrus issued the decree that this verse describes. However, it could also mean that he issued this decree as soon as he became their ruler. Alternate translation: “As soon as Cyrus, the king of Persia, conquered Babylon and became the ruler of the Jews”

Note 3 topic: translate-ordinal

וּ⁠בִ⁠שְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת

and=in=year_of one(fs)

The Hebrew uses a cardinal number here, one, but there is not a significant difference in meaning between that and the way the Hebrew uses an ordinal number, “first,” in similar contexts elsewhere. If your language customarily uses ordinals for the numbers of years, you can do that here in your translation. Alternate translation: “In the first year”

Note 4 topic: translate-names

לְ⁠כ֨וֹרֶשׁ֙

to/for=Coresh

Cyrus is the name of a man.

Note 5 topic: translate-names

פָּרַ֔ס

Pāraş

Persia is the name of an empire.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה

word/matter_of YHWH

Here, word refers to the thing that Yahweh spoke about. Alternate translation: “the promise that Yahweh had made”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה

word/matter_of YHWH

What Yahweh had said specifically was that, after 70 years in exile, the Jews would be allowed to return to their homeland. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say that explicitly, or you could put this information in a footnote. Alternate translation: “the promise that Yahweh had made that after 70 years in exile, the Jews would be allowed to return to their homeland”

Note 8 topic: translate-names

יְהוָ֖ה

YHWH

Yahweh is the name of God that he revealed to his people in the Old Testament. It occurs many times in the book, and it will be helpful to your readers if you translate it consistently each time.

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

מִ⁠פִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֑ה

by,mouth Yirmə\sup_yāh/(Jeremiah)

Here, mouth represents speaking. Alternate translation: “which Jeremiah spoke about” or “which Jeremiah announced”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

הֵעִ֣יר יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־ר֨וּחַ֙ כֹּ֣רֶשׁ

stirred_up YHWH DOM spirit Kōresh/(Cyrus)

Here the book uses one aspect of Cyrus, his spirit, to represent all of him. Alternate translation: “Yahweh put a desire to do something into Cyrus”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הֵעִ֣יר יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־ר֨וּחַ֙ כֹּ֣רֶשׁ

stirred_up YHWH DOM spirit Kōresh/(Cyrus)

Here, the book speaks of Yahweh causing Cyrus to act by saying that he stirred up his spirit in the way that winds might stir up calm waters and make them move around. The meaning is that Yahweh directly influenced the heart and will of Cyrus to get him to do something. Alternate translation: “Yahweh put a desire to do something into Cyrus”

Note 12 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וַ⁠יַּֽעֲבֶר

and,sent

The word so indicates that the sentence it introduces explains the results of what the previous sentence described. Alternate translation: “As a result, he made … to be sent”

Note 13 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וַ⁠יַּֽעֲבֶר־קוֹל֙ בְּ⁠כָל־מַלְכוּת֔⁠וֹ

and,sent sound/voice in=all his/its=kingdom

Here, he means Cyrus. In this context, the sound is a voice speaking a message, and the voice represents the message that it speaks. But since the message could not travel by itself, ultimately the reference is to the messengers who delivered it. Alternate translation: “Cyrus sent messengers out to proclaim a decree everywhere in his empire”

Note 14 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠גַם־בְּ⁠מִכְתָּ֖ב

and=also in/on/at/with,writing

Here the book leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. The meaning is: Cyrus also put this decree in writing. You could say that explicitly if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: “and Cyrus also sent out written copies of the decree” or “and Cyrus also had his scribes write down the decree in his official records”