OET interlinear HEB 11:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πλείονα θυσίαν, Ἂβελ παρὰ Κάϊν προσήνεγκεν τῷ Θεῷ

/a/_more_‹excellent› sacrifice (Some words not found in SR-GNT: πίστει πλείονα θυσίαν Ἅβελ παρὰ Κάϊν προσήνεγκεν τῷ Θεῷ διʼ ἧς ἐμαρτυρήθη εἶναι δίκαιος μαρτυροῦντος ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διʼ αὐτῆς ἀποθανὼν ἔτι λαλεῖ)

Here the author refers to a story in the Old Testament about how Abel and Cain both presented offerings to God, but God was pleased with only Abel’s offering. Cain was angry, and he eventually killed Abel. You can read this story in Genesis 4:3–8. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make important aspects of this story more explicit. Alternate translation: “Abel offered God a sacrifice that was better than what his brother Cain offered”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

παρὰ Κάϊν

than Cain

Here the author is not contrasting Cain and the better sacrifice. Rather, he is contrasting what Cain did with what Abel did. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this contrast more explicit. Alternate translation: “than what Cain offered”

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

ἧς

which

Here, the word which could refer to: (1) faith. Alternate translation: “which faith” (2) a better sacrifice. Alternate translation: “which sacrifice”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐμαρτυρήθη εἶναι δίκαιος

˱he˲_/was/_attested to_be righteous

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. The author uses the passive form here to focus on Abel, who was testified, rather than on the person doing the testifying. If you must state who did the action, the author clarifies in the next clause that God did it. Alternate translation: “God testified that he was righteous”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ

to the gifts ˱of˲_him

Here, the phrase his gifts refers to what Abel offered to God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could clarify that these gifts are his sacrifice. Alternate translation: “because of the gifts that he offered”

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

ἀποθανὼν

/having/_died_off

Here, the phrase having died refers to something that contrasts with how he still speaks. If it would be helpful in your language, you could introduce having died with a word or phrase that introduces a contrast or something that is unexpected. Alternate translation: “despite having died” or “even though he died”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἔτι λαλεῖ

still ˱he˲_/is/_speaking

Here the author speaks as if Abel could still “speak” by means of faith. He speaks in this way to indicate that the audience can learn something from Abel’s example of faith, as if he was speaking to them about his faith. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “he still is an example for us” or “he can still show us something”