OET interlinear JDG 9:15

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

וַ⁠יֹּ֣אמֶר הָ⁠אָטָד֮ אֶל־הָ⁠עֵצִים֒ אִ֡ם בֶּ⁠אֱמֶ֣ת אַתֶּם֩ מֹשְׁחִ֨ים אֹתִ֤⁠י לְ⁠מֶ֨לֶךְ֙ עֲלֵי⁠כֶ֔ם בֹּ֖אוּ חֲס֣וּ בְ⁠צִלִּ֑⁠י וְ⁠אִם־אַ֕יִן תֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הָ֣⁠אָטָ֔ד וְ⁠תֹאכַ֖ל אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַ⁠לְּבָנֽוֹן

and=he/it_said the,bramble to/towards the,trees if in/on/at/with,good_faith you_all anointing DOM=me as,king over,you_all come take_refuge in/on/at/with,shade,my and=if not come_out fire from/more_than the,bramble and,consume DOM cedars the,Lebanon

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 the thornbush told the trees that if in truth they were anointing him as king over them, then they should come and shelter in his shade. But if not, then may fire go forth from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בֶּ⁠אֱמֶ֣ת

in/on/at/with,good_faith

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of truth, you could express the same idea in another way. In this context. the word translated as truth refers to faithfully fulfilling relational responsibilities towards another person. The thornbush wants to make sure that the other trees sincerely want it to be their king and that they are not anointing it simply because the other trees refused. Alternate translation: “truly” or “in good faith”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בֹּ֖אוּ חֲס֣וּ בְ⁠צִלִּ֑⁠י

come take_refuge in/on/at/with,shade,my

In the story, the thornbush is speaking as if the other trees would literally shelter in its shade, that is, find protection there from the heat of the sun. This was an image that people in this culture used to describe coming under the protection of a ruler and accordingly accepting an obligation to obey that ruler. Isaiah 30:2, for example, speaks of the Judeans sheltering in the shadow of Egypt, meaning that they agreed to allow Pharaoh to rule them in exchange for his protection. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “then obey me as your king”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / irony

בֹּ֖אוּ חֲס֣וּ בְ⁠צִלִּ֑⁠י

come take_refuge in/on/at/with,shade,my

Jotham’s parable is designed to make the lords of Shechem realize that they have made a great mistake by giving Abimelek the means to kill all of his brothers and then anointing him as king. One way the parable does this is by having one of its characters, the thornbush, say something that is the opposite of the way things really are. A thornbush does not create any shade in which anyone or anything can shelter. Similarly, Abimelek will not do anything worthwhile for the people of Shechem. He will only cause great trouble for them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could reflect in your translation how what the thornbush says is the opposite of the way things are. Alternate translation: “come under the shade of my tiny branches”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠אִם־אַ֕יִן

and=if not

The thornbush 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: “But if you are not anointing me in truth” or “But if you are not sincerely intending to obey me as your king”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

תֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הָ֣⁠אָטָ֔ד וְ⁠תֹאכַ֖ל אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַ⁠לְּבָנֽוֹן

come_out fire from/more_than the,bramble and,consume DOM cedars the,Lebanon

The thornbush is speaking of fire as if it were a living thing that could go forth by itself. It is actually making a threat that it will start a fire if it discovers that the other trees have not anointed it king sincerely, that is, if they are not going to obey it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “then I will start a fire that will burn up even the cedars of Lebanon”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

הָ֣⁠אָטָ֔ד

the,bramble

The thornbush is speaking about itself in the third person, as subjects would speak of and to a king in this culture. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this in the first person. Alternate translation: “me”