OET interlinear GEN 42:38

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-quotations

וַ⁠יֹּ֕אמֶר

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said not go_down son_of,my with,you(pl) that/for/because/then/when his/its=brother dead and=he for=him/it=being_alone left and,it,will_happen_to_him harm on,journey which/who make on,it and,you(pl)_will_cause_to_go_down DOM hair_of,my_gray in,sorrow Sheol,to )

Alternate translation: [But his father insisted]

לֹֽא־יֵרֵ֥ד בְּנִ֖⁠י עִמָּ⁠כֶ֑ם

not go_down (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said not go_down son_of,my with,you(pl) that/for/because/then/when his/its=brother dead and=he for=him/it=being_alone left and,it,will_happen_to_him harm on,journey which/who make on,it and,you(pl)_will_cause_to_go_down DOM hair_of,my_gray in,sorrow Sheol,to )

Notice that the pronoun you is plural in this verse. Also, see how you translated go down in [verse 2](../42/02.md). Alternate translation: [My son Benjamin may not go with you to Egypt]

Note 2 topic: translate-kinship

כִּֽי־אָחִ֨י⁠ו מֵ֜ת

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said not go_down son_of,my with,you(pl) that/for/because/then/when his/its=brother dead and=he for=him/it=being_alone left and,it,will_happen_to_him harm on,journey which/who make on,it and,you(pl)_will_cause_to_go_down DOM hair_of,my_gray in,sorrow Sheol,to )

Joseph was Benjamin’s older brother from the same father and mother. Consider whether your language has a special kinship term for that relationship.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠ה֧וּא לְ⁠בַדּ֣⁠וֹ נִשְׁאָ֗ר

and=he for=him/it=being_alone (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said not go_down son_of,my with,you(pl) that/for/because/then/when his/its=brother dead and=he for=him/it=being_alone left and,it,will_happen_to_him harm on,journey which/who make on,it and,you(pl)_will_cause_to_go_down DOM hair_of,my_gray in,sorrow Sheol,to )

By he alone is left, Jacob means that Joseph and Benjamin were the only two sons of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife who died after giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis [35:16–20](../35/16.md)). If Joseph is now gone, only Benjamin remains. You could indicate this explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [so he is the only one I have left from his mother]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

וּ⁠קְרָאָ֤⁠הוּ אָסוֹן֙ בַּ⁠דֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔⁠הּ

and,it,will_happen_to_him harm (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said not go_down son_of,my with,you(pl) that/for/because/then/when his/its=brother dead and=he for=him/it=being_alone left and,it,will_happen_to_him harm on,journey which/who make on,it and,you(pl)_will_cause_to_go_down DOM hair_of,my_gray in,sorrow Sheol,to )

Jacob is saying what would happen if he lost Benjamin too. Consider what is the best way to translate this hypothetical statement in your language. Also, see how you translated “harm … meet him” in [verse 4](../42/04.md). Alternate translation: [So if he were to be killed during your journey] or [So if anything bad happened to him while you are traveling]

וְ⁠הוֹרַדְתֶּ֧ם אֶת־שֵׂיבָתִ֛⁠י בְּ⁠יָג֖וֹן

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said not go_down son_of,my with,you(pl) that/for/because/then/when his/its=brother dead and=he for=him/it=being_alone left and,it,will_happen_to_him harm on,journey which/who make on,it and,you(pl)_will_cause_to_go_down DOM hair_of,my_gray in,sorrow Sheol,to )

Jacob uses the phrase my gray head to refer to himself as their aged father. Consider whether your language has a similar phrase that is natural and works well here. Alternate translation: [you would cause me, your gray-haired father, to grieve so deeply that I would die and go down] or [you would cause me, your gray-haired father, so much grief that I would die and go down]