OET interlinear ISA 51:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

עוּרִ֨י עוּרִ֤י לִבְשִׁי עֹז֙ זְר֣וֹעַ יְהוָ֔ה

awake awake put_on strength arm_of YHWH

Isaiah is speaking of the arm of Yahweh as if it were a living person who could Awake and put on strength. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Begin to act powerfully, begin to act powerfully, Yahweh, with your mighty arm]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / reduplication

עוּרִ֨י עוּרִ֤י

awake awake

Isaiah is repeating forms of the verb Awake in order to intensify his expression of the idea that it conveys. If your language can repeat words for intensification, it would be appropriate to do that here in your translation. If not, your language may have another way of expressing the intensification. Alternate translation: [Wake up completely]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לִבְשִׁי עֹז֙

put_on strength

Here Isaiah is speaking of becoming strong as if strength were clothing that one could put on. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [become strong]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לִבְשִׁי עֹז֙

put_on strength

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of strength, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [put on your might and become strong]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

זְר֣וֹעַ יְהוָ֔ה

arm_of YHWH

Here, arm represents Yahweh’s power to act. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [power of Yahweh]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הֲ⁠ל֥וֹא אַתְּ הִ֛יא הַ⁠מַּחְצֶ֥בֶת רַ֖הַב מְחוֹלֶ֥לֶת תַּנִּֽין

am=not you she/it [who]_cut,in_pieces rahab pierced_of dragon

Isaiah is using the question form to affirm that it was indeed Yahweh’s arm that crushed Rahab and pierced the sea monster. 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: [It was certainly you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the sea monster!]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

הֲ⁠ל֥וֹא אַתְּ הִ֛יא

am=not you she/it

Here, the word you is singular and refers to the arm of Yahweh, which is addressed as a single individual. Make sure this is clear in your translation.

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

הַ⁠מַּחְצֶ֥בֶת רַ֖הַב מְחוֹלֶ֥לֶת תַּנִּֽין

[who]_cut,in_pieces rahab pierced_of dragon

The implication is that Rahab and the sea monster are names for a fearsome chaos monster that Yahweh defeated, an image that also represents Egypt, whom Yahweh conquered when he rescued his people. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the one having hewn Rahab the chaos monster in pieces, the one having pierced the sea monster, representing Egypt]