OET interlinear ISA 4:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-time-background

אִ֣ם ׀ רָחַ֣ץ אֲדֹנָ֗⁠י אֵ֚ת צֹאַ֣ת בְּנוֹת־צִיּ֔וֹן וְ⁠אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם יָדִ֣יחַ מִ⁠קִּרְבָּ֑⁠הּ בְּ⁠ר֥וּחַ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּ⁠בְ⁠ר֥וּחַ בָּעֵֽר

if washed_away my=master DOM filth_of daughters_of Tsiyyōn/(Zion) and=DOM bloods_of Yerushalayim cleansed from,midst_of,its by,a_spirit_of judgement and,by,a_spirit_of burning

Isaiah is using when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and has cleansed the blood of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning to describe something that was ongoing. This provides the background for the events described in the previous verse. Connect this clause to the story in a way that makes it clear in your language that this clause is describing something that was ongoing in the background. Alternate translation: [while the Lord was washing away the filth of the daughters of Zion and was cleansing the blood of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רָחַ֣ץ & צֹאַ֣ת בְּנוֹת־צִיּ֔וֹן

washed_away & filth_of daughters_of Tsiyyōn/(Zion)

Isaiah is speaking as if the moral impurity of the people were filth that could be washed away. Your language may have a comparable expression, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [removed the moral impurity of the daughters of Zion]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דְּמֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם יָדִ֣יחַ מִ⁠קִּרְבָּ֑⁠הּ

bloods_of Yerushalayim cleansed from,midst_of,its

Isaiah is speaking as if the guilt of violence in Jerusalem were blood that could be cleansed from the city. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [has cleansed Jerusalem of its violence]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

דְּמֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם

bloods_of Yerushalayim

Here, the blood represents “the violence and bloodshed.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [the bloodguilt of Jerusalem]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / hendiadys

בְּ⁠ר֥וּחַ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּ⁠בְ⁠ר֥וּחַ בָּעֵֽר

by,a_spirit_of judgement and,by,a_spirit_of burning

The phrase a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning expresses a single idea. The word burning tells more about judgment. If it would be more natural in your language, you could express this meaning in a different way. Alternate translation: [by a judging spirit that burns away what is wrong]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מִשְׁפָּ֖ט

judgement

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of judgment and burning, you could express the same ideas in other ways. Alternate translation: [judging]