OET interlinear ISA 51:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּ֤י

that/for/because/then/when

The word translated as For indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [This is because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

כַ⁠בֶּ֨גֶד֙ יֹאכְלֵ֣⁠ם עָ֔שׁ וְ⁠כַ⁠צֶּ֖מֶר יֹאכְלֵ֣⁠ם סָ֑ס

like,garment it,will_eat_them moth and,like,wool it,will_eat_them worm

Here Yahweh is speaking of the people who oppose his people as if they were a garment and wool that a moth and a grub would devour. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the people who oppose you will be destroyed as easily as a moth devours a garment, and they will perish as easily as a grub devours wool]

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

יֹאכְלֵ֣⁠ם עָ֔שׁ

it,will_eat_them moth

The pronoun them refers to the people who reproach and revile God’s people. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [the moth will devour those who reproach you]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וְ⁠צִדְקָתִ⁠י֙

and,righteousness_of,my

Yahweh uses the word but here to indicate a contrast between the perishing of those who oppose his people and the permanence of his righteousness and salvation. In your translation, indicate this contrast in a way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [however, my righteousness]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וְ⁠צִדְקָתִ⁠י֙

and,righteousness_of,my

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of righteousness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [but the way I do right]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וִ⁠ישׁוּעָתִ֖⁠י לְ⁠ד֥וֹר דּוֹרִֽים

and,salvation_of,my to,a_generation_of generations

Yahweh is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [and my salvation will be to the generation of generations]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וִ⁠ישׁוּעָתִ֖⁠י

and,salvation_of,my

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

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לְ⁠ד֥וֹר דּוֹרִֽים

to,a_generation_of generations

Yahweh is using to the generation of generations as a common expression of the culture to mean “for all future ages” or “forever.” 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: [for all future ages]