OET interlinear ISA 58:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

לָ֤⁠מָּה צַּ֨מְנוּ֙ וְ⁠לֹ֣א רָאִ֔יתָ עִנִּ֥ינוּ נַפְשֵׁ֖⁠נוּ וְ⁠לֹ֣א & תֵדָ֑ע

(Some words not found in UHB: to/for=what fasted and=not see humbled self_of,our and=not notice if in/on=day your_fasting_of,your(pl) find please and=all laborers_of,your(pl) oppress )

These two clauses mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine them and express the emphasis in another way. Another approach would be to connect the phrases with a word that shows that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. See how you as a team have decided to translate the parallel phrases in poetry, and follow that approach here and throughout this chapter. Alternate translation: [Why have we fasted and humbled ourselves, but you have not noticed]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

לָ֤⁠מָּה צַּ֨מְנוּ֙ וְ⁠לֹ֣א רָאִ֔יתָ עִנִּ֥ינוּ נַפְשֵׁ֖⁠נוּ וְ⁠לֹ֣א תֵדָ֑ע

to/for=what fasted and=not see humbled self_of,our and=not notice

The people are using the question form to complain that Yahweh has not noticed their fasting and self-denial. 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: [We have fasted, but you have not seen; we have humbled our soul, but you have not known!]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

לָ֤⁠מָּה צַּ֨מְנוּ֙ וְ⁠לֹ֣א רָאִ֔יתָ עִנִּ֥ינוּ נַפְשֵׁ֖⁠נוּ וְ⁠לֹ֣א תֵדָ֑ע

to/for=what fasted and=not see humbled self_of,our and=not notice

This is a quotation within a quotation. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [They ask why they have fasted but I have not seen it, and why they have humbled themselves but I have not noticed]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

עִנִּ֥ינוּ נַפְשֵׁ֖⁠נוּ

humbled self_of,our

The people are using have we humbled our soul as a common expression of the culture to mean “have we demonstrated our humility.” 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: [have we afflicted ourselves]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

עִנִּ֥ינוּ נַפְשֵׁ֖⁠נוּ

humbled self_of,our

The people are 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: [why have we humbled our soul]

Note 6 topic: writing-foreground

הֵ֣ן

if

Yahweh is using the term Behold to focus his 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 7 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

בְּ⁠י֤וֹם צֹֽמְ⁠כֶם֙ תִּמְצְאוּ־חֵ֔פֶץ וְ⁠כָל־עַצְּבֵי⁠כֶ֖ם תִּנְגֹּֽשׂוּ

in/on=day your_fasting_of,your(pl) find please and=all laborers_of,your(pl) oppress

The word you is plural here and in verse 4 because Yahweh is addressing the Israelites, so use the plural form in your translation if your language marks that distinction.