OET interlinear HEB 12:17

uW Translation Notes:

Here the author refers to a story about what happened to Esau after he sold his birthright. When Esau’s father Isaac was about to die, he wanted to give Esau a blessing. However, Esau’s brother Jacob tricked his father Isaac and took the blessing for himself. When Esau found out, he wept and asked his father to bless him. However, his father had already given the blessing to Jacob. You can read this story in Genesis 27:1–41. You might want to include this information in a footnote.

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

for

Here, the word For introduces a reason why the audience should avoid being like Esau and stay away from those who are like Esau. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason. Alternate translation: [Do not be like that, because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

κληρονομῆσαι τὴν εὐλογίαν

/to/_inherit the blessing

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of blessing, you could express the idea by using a verb such as “bless.” Alternate translation: [to be blessed by his father]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἀπεδοκιμάσθη

˱he˲_/was/_rejected

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 Esau, who was rejected, rather than on the person doing the rejecting. If you must state who did the action, the author could imply that: (1) Esau’s father Isaac did it. Alternate translation: [Isaac his father rejected him] (2) God did it. Alternate translation: [God rejected him]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

μετανοίας & τόπον οὐχ εὗρεν

˱of˲_repentance & place not ˱he˲_found

The author is speaking as if Esau were literally looking for a place where he could repent. He means that Esau did not have the opportunity to repent. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. This could mean: (1) that Esau had no opportunity to correct what he had done. Alternate translation: [he had no opportunity to correct what he had done] (2) that Esau did not have the ability to feel remorse or sorrow for what he had done. Alternate translation: [he could not feel remorse for what he had done] or [he could not regret what he had done]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

μετανοίας

˱of˲_repentance

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of repentance, you could express the idea by using a verb such as “repent.” The person who does the repentance could be (1) Esau. Alternate translation: [to repent] or [to reverse his actions] (2) Isaac, Esau’s father. Alternate translation: [to change his father’s mind]

Note 6 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτήν

it

Here, the word it could refer to: (1) repentance. Alternate translation: [repentance] or [to reverse his actions] (2) the blessing. Alternate translation: [the blessing] or [to be blessed]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

μετὰ δακρύων

with tears

Here, the word tears refers to the action of crying or weeping. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to the action of creating the tears. Alternate translation: [with weeping] or [while he cried]