OET interlinear EZRA 9:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

כִּֽי־עֲבָדִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ

that/for/because/then/when slaves we

Ezra describes the Jewish people as slaves, which is an exaggeration that he uses to express humility before God. It is true that their ancestors were taken as captives to Babylon where they were forced to serve the king, and that even now they must do as the king commands, but those who have returned to Judah are allowed to manage their own daily affairs. Alternate translation: “The Babylonians made our people to be slaves”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

לֹ֥א עֲזָבָ֖⁠נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֑י⁠נוּ

not forsaken,us God,our

Ezra continues to speak of God in the third person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate his words in the second person. Alternate translation: “you, our God, have not forsaken us”

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וַֽ⁠יַּט

and,extended

This word But indicates that the sentence it introduces draws a contrast between what the Israelites might have expected God to do, since they were being punished for their disobedience, and what God actually did. You could begin the sentence with a phrase such as “on the contrary” or other method in your language to indicate this contrast.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַֽ⁠יַּט־עָלֵ֣י⁠נוּ חֶ֡סֶד

and,extended to,us steadfast_love

As in 7:28, Ezra uses a spatial metaphor to depict help stretching out to him from Yahweh. Alternate translation: “On the contrary, he has helped us, as he promised”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וַֽ⁠יַּט־עָלֵ֣י⁠נוּ חֶ֡סֶד לִ⁠פְנֵי֩ מַלְכֵ֨י פָרַ֜ס

and,extended to,us steadfast_love to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before kings Pāraş

Here, the abstract noun faithfulness refers to a person wanting to do everything that they can to help another person. As in 3:11 and 7:28, covenant faithfulness refers specifically to Yahweh doing that for the people of Israel because of his covenant with them, which contained the promises that he had made to them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the idea behind this phrase with verbs such as “help” and “promise.” Alternate translation: “But he has helped us, as he promised, by leading the king of Persia to regard us favorably”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לִ⁠פְנֵי֩ מַלְכֵ֨י פָרַ֜ס

to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before kings Pāraş

Here, face refers to the way that a person regards things, by association with the way that they use the eyes in their face to see things and the way that their facial expression shows what they think of those things. Alternate translation: “by leading the kings of Persia to regard us favorably”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מַלְכֵ֨י פָרַ֜ס

kings Pāraş

Ezra probably uses the plural kings to acknowledge implicitly that not just Artaxerxes, but also Cyrus and Darius before him, treated the Jews favorably by allowing them to rebuild the temple and by supporting the worship there. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could name these kings explicitly. Alternate translation: “King Cyrus, King Darius, and King Artaxerxes of Persia”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לָֽ⁠תֶת־לָ֣⁠נוּ מִֽחְיָ֗ה

to,give to/for=us new_life

As in 9:8, reviving or renewed life in this context seems to be a figurative expression for greater freedom. Alternate translation: “so that they gave us greater freedom”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

לְ⁠רוֹמֵ֞ם אֶת־בֵּ֤ית אֱלֹהֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ וּ⁠לְ⁠הַעֲמִ֣יד אֶת־חָרְבֹתָ֔י⁠ו

to,set_up DOM house_of God,our and,to,repair DOM ruins,its

These two phrases mean similar things. Ezra says essentially the same thing twice, probably to emphasize how remarkable this was after all the opposition that there had been to it. If repeating both phrases in your translation might be confusing for your readers, you can combine the phrases. Alternate translation: “and allowed us to rebuild the temple of our God” However, there is a slight difference in meaning, and you could also choose to bring that out in your translation. The second phrase is stronger because it indicates that the temple had previously been destroyed but now it was being restored. Alternate translation: “and allowed us to rebuild the temple of our God by repairing its ruins”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לְ⁠רוֹמֵ֞ם

to,set_up

To raise up is a figurative expression for building it. Alternate translation: “to rebuild”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ⁠לְ⁠הַעֲמִ֣יד אֶת־חָרְבֹתָ֔י⁠ו

and,to,repair DOM ruins,its

Like raise up, cause … to stand is a figurative expression for building. Alternate translation: “by repairing its ruins”

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠לָֽ⁠תֶת־לָ֣⁠נוּ גָדֵ֔ר בִּֽ⁠יהוּדָ֖ה וּ⁠בִ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָֽם

and,to,give to/for=us wall in/on/at/with,Judah and,in/on/at/with,Jerusalem

Ezra is not referring to a literal wall. (The walls of Jerusalem were still broken down at this time. They would not be repaired until Nehemiah came to the city over a dozen years later.) Rather, he means that the Persian kings authorized the returned exiles to re-establish their community in Judah and Jerusalem, and so the king would protect their right to live there. It is as if the Jews are already protected by this as though by a wall. Alternate translation: “and has given us a safe place to live in Judah and Jerusalem.”