OET interlinear ISA 44:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רֹעֶ֣ה אֵ֔פֶר

feeds ashes

Here Isaiah is speaking of this person’s pursuit of worthless idols as if he were an animal that grazes on ashes, feeding on something that gives no nourishment. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [He depends on something worthless]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לֵ֥ב הוּתַ֖ל הִטָּ֑⁠הוּ

mind deceived it,has_turned_him_aside

Here Isaiah is speaking of the man’s deluded thinking as if it were a deceived heart that turns him aside from the right way. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [his deluded thinking leads him astray]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וְ⁠לֹֽא־יַצִּ֤יל

and=not save

The word translated as so indicates that what follows is a result of what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a result of what came before. Alternate translation: [therefore he does not deliver]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

וְ⁠לֹ֣א יֹאמַ֔ר הֲ⁠ל֥וֹא שֶׁ֖קֶר בִּ⁠ימִינִֽ⁠י

and=not say am=not lie in,my_right_of,hand

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [and he does not say that there is falsehood in his right hand]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הֲ⁠ל֥וֹא שֶׁ֖קֶר בִּ⁠ימִינִֽ⁠י

am=not lie in,my_right_of,hand

The person is using the question form to admit to himself that what he holds is a lie. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [Falsehood is in my right hand!]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שֶׁ֖קֶר בִּ⁠ימִינִֽ⁠י

lie in,my_right_of,hand

Here, falsehood represents the idol in the man’s hand, which is a false god. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [a false god in my right hand]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

שֶׁ֖קֶר

lie

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