OET interlinear ISA 41:29

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-foreground

הֵ֣ן

if

Yahweh is using the term Behold to focus the 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: [Look]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

כֻּלָּ֔⁠ם אָ֥וֶן

of_them_of,all delusion

The pronoun them refers to the idols. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [all of these idols are iniquity]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

כֻּלָּ֔⁠ם אָ֥וֶן

of_them_of,all delusion

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of iniquity, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [all of them are wicked]

Note 4 topic: translate-textvariants

אָ֥וֶן

delusion

Some ancient manuscripts read “iniquity.” The ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts read “nothing.” 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 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

אֶ֖פֶס מַעֲשֵׂי⁠הֶ֑ם ר֥וּחַ וָ⁠תֹ֖הוּ נִסְכֵּי⁠הֶֽם

nothing deeds_of,their wind and,emptiness images_of,their_molten

Yahweh is using the possessive form their deeds and their images to mean the deeds done by the idols and the images that their makers produce. If a speaker of your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [what they do is nothing and what their makers produce is emptiness]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ר֥וּחַ וָ⁠תֹ֖הוּ נִסְכֵּי⁠הֶֽם

wind and,emptiness images_of,their_molten

Here Yahweh is speaking of the idols as if they were nothing but wind and emptiness to show that they are worthless and powerless. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [their images are worthless and powerless]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ר֥וּחַ וָ⁠תֹ֖הוּ

wind and,emptiness

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of emptiness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [are nothing but empty wind]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

ר֥וּחַ וָ⁠תֹ֖הוּ

wind and,emptiness

The terms wind and emptiness mean similar things. Yahweh is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [are completely worthless]