OET interlinear ISA 38:17

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-foreground

הִנֵּ֥ה

see/lo/see!

Hezekiah is using the term Behold to focus his listeners’ attention on what he is about to say. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation. Alternate translation: [Indeed]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לְ⁠שָׁל֖וֹם

for,welfare

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of welfare, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [for my benefit]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

מַר לִ֣⁠י מָ֑ר

bitterness to=me bitter

Hezekiah is using this expression, in which he says that bitterness was bitter for him, as a common expression of the culture to mean “I suffered very greatly.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [I suffered greatly]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וְ⁠אַתָּ֞ה

and=you(ms)

Hezekiah uses the word But here to indicate a contrast between the great suffering he experienced and the deliverance that Yahweh gave him. In your translation, indicate this contrast in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [Yet you]

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

וְ⁠אַתָּ֞ה חָשַׁ֤קְתָּ נַפְשִׁ⁠י֙

and=you(ms) held_back life_of,my

Hezekiah is stating the pronoun you separately, even though the verb translated as have held already includes this meaning. He is doing that to emphasize it is Yahweh who has held back his soul. If a speaker of your language would use an explicit pronoun for the same purpose, you may want to use that construction in your translation. If not, your language may have other ways of showing the meaning here. Alternate translation: [But you, Yahweh, have held back my soul]

Note 6 topic: translate-textvariants

חָשַׁ֤קְתָּ

held_back

Some ancient manuscripts read “you have held back.” The ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts read “you loved.” 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 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מִ⁠שַּׁ֣חַת בְּלִ֔י

from_[the],pit_of destruction

Here Hezekiah is speaking of death as if it were the pit, a deep hole in the ground. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [from death and nonexistence]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

מִ⁠שַּׁ֣חַת בְּלִ֔י

from_[the],pit_of destruction

Hezekiah is using the possessive form to describe a pit that is characterized by nothingness, that is, the grave, where there is nothing. If a speaker of your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [from the pit that has nothing in it]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

הִשְׁלַ֛כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גֵוְ⁠ךָ֖ כָּל חֲטָאָֽ⁠י

throw after back_of,your all/each/any/every sins_of,my

Hezekiah is using you have thrown all of my sins behind your back as a common expression of the culture to mean “you have forgiven all of my sins.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [you have forgiven all of my sins]