OET interlinear ISA 21:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

וַ⁠יִּקְרָ֖א

and=he/it_called

The pronoun he refers to the watchman. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [And the watchman called out]

Note 2 topic: translate-textvariants

וַ⁠יִּקְרָ֖א אַרְיֵ֑ה

and=he/it_called lion

Some ancient manuscripts read “And he called out like a lion.” The ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts read “the one seeing called out.” If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of the ULT.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / reduplication

עֹמֵ֤ד

stand

The watchman is repeating the pronoun I in order to intensify his expression of the idea that he himself is faithfully standing watch. If your language can repeat words for intensification, it would be appropriate to do that here in your translation. If not, your language may have another way of expressing the intensification. Alternate translation: [I myself am standing]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / reduplication

נִצָּ֖ב

stationed

The watchman is repeating the pronoun I in order to intensify his expression of the idea that he himself is faithfully stationed at his post. If your language can repeat words for intensification, it would be appropriate to do that here in your translation. If not, your language may have another way of expressing the intensification. Alternate translation: [I myself am stationed]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

עַל־מִצְפֶּ֣ה אֲדֹנָ֗⁠י אָנֹכִ֞י עֹמֵ֤ד תָּמִיד֙ יוֹמָ֔ם וְ⁠עַל־מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔⁠י אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב כָּל־הַ⁠לֵּילֽוֹת

on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in watchtower my=master I stand continually by_day and,at post_of,my I stationed all/each/any/every the,nights

The watchman says I am standing continually by day and I am stationed all of the night as an extreme statement for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: [I am faithfully standing watch during the day, and I am faithfully stationed at my guardpost during the night]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וַ⁠יִּקְרָ֖א אַרְיֵ֑ה

and=he/it_called lion

The point of this comparison is that just as a lion is loud and commanding, so is the watchman’s cry. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [And he called out with a loud and commanding voice, like a lion]