OET interlinear HAB 2:18

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מָֽה־הוֹעִ֣יל פֶּ֗סֶל כִּ֤י פְסָל⁠וֹ֙ יֹֽצְר֔⁠וֹ מַסֵּכָ֖ה וּ⁠מ֣וֹרֶה שָּׁ֑קֶר

what profit (Some words not found in UHB: what profit idol that/for/because/then/when he,has_carved_it [the_of,one_who]_formed_it throw_image and,[that_which]_teaches lies that/for/because/then/when trusts maker form_of,its on/upon/above=him/it for=doing idols cannot_speak )

Habakkuk is using the question form to emphasize that a carved image has no value at all. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement. Alternate translation: [A carved image does not profit at all even though its fashioner has carved it, a molten idol and a teacher of lies.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

יֹֽצְר֔⁠וֹ

[the_of,one_who]_formed_it

The author is using the possessive form to describe the relationship between an idol and the person who made it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the person who fashioned it]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

מַסֵּכָ֖ה וּ⁠מ֣וֹרֶה שָּׁ֑קֶר

(Some words not found in UHB: what profit idol that/for/because/then/when he,has_carved_it [the_of,one_who]_formed_it throw_image and,[that_which]_teaches lies that/for/because/then/when trusts maker form_of,its on/upon/above=him/it for=doing idols cannot_speak )

The phrases a molten idol and a teacher of lies restate and further describe the carved image from earlier in the verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could show this connection explicitly. Alternate translation: [that is, a molten idol, a teacher of lies]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

וּ⁠מ֣וֹרֶה שָּׁ֑קֶר

and,[that_which]_teaches (Some words not found in UHB: what profit idol that/for/because/then/when he,has_carved_it [the_of,one_who]_formed_it throw_image and,[that_which]_teaches lies that/for/because/then/when trusts maker form_of,its on/upon/above=him/it for=doing idols cannot_speak )

The author is speaking of an idol as if it were a living person who could teach lies. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and something that deceives]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וּ⁠מ֣וֹרֶה שָּׁ֑קֶר

and,[that_which]_teaches (Some words not found in UHB: what profit idol that/for/because/then/when he,has_carved_it [the_of,one_who]_formed_it throw_image and,[that_which]_teaches lies that/for/because/then/when trusts maker form_of,its on/upon/above=him/it for=doing idols cannot_speak )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of lies, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [and a teacher of what is false]

Note 6 topic: writing-poetry

יֹצֵ֤ר יִצְר⁠וֹ֙

maker form_of,its

Habakkuk is using a construction in which a verb and its object come from the same root. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to express the meaning here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of saying this. Alternate translation: [the craftsman who shaped his own creation]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

יִצְר⁠וֹ֙

form_of,its

The author is using the possessive form to describe the thing that someone has formed. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the thing he has formed]

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

לַ⁠עֲשׂ֖וֹת אֱלִילִ֥ים אִלְּמִֽים

for=doing idols (Some words not found in UHB: what profit idol that/for/because/then/when he,has_carved_it [the_of,one_who]_formed_it throw_image and,[that_which]_teaches lies that/for/because/then/when trusts maker form_of,its on/upon/above=him/it for=doing idols cannot_speak )

Here, to make mute idols marks the purpose or result of the fashioner trusting in what he has formed. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that this is the outcome of that trust. Alternate translation: [so that he ends up making mute idols]