OET interlinear HERO (JDG) 9:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parables

הָל֤וֹךְ הָֽלְכוּ֙ הָ⁠עֵצִ֔ים לִ⁠מְשֹׁ֥חַ עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֖ם מֶ֑לֶךְ

to_go_out they_went_out the,trees (Some words not found in UHB: to_go_out they_went_out the,trees to,anoint over,them king and=they_said to,tree מלוכ,ה over,us )

To make the lords of Shechem recognize that they will have much trouble because they have made Abimelech their king, Jotham tells them a story. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. You could also begin this story in the way that made-up stories usually begin in your language. Alternate translation: [Then Jotham told the lords of Shechem a story to make them realize that they would have much trouble because they had made Abimelech their king. He said, “Once upon a time, the trees went to anoint a king over them]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / reduplication

הָל֤וֹךְ הָֽלְכוּ֙ הָ⁠עֵצִ֔ים לִ⁠מְשֹׁ֥חַ עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֖ם מֶ֑לֶךְ

to_go_out they_went_out the,trees (Some words not found in UHB: to_go_out they_went_out the,trees to,anoint over,them king and=they_said to,tree מלוכ,ה over,us )

Jotham is repeating the verb “go” (saying Going and went) in order to intensify the idea that it expresses. 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 emphasis. Alternate translation: [The trees went around looking for someone they could anoint as their king]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

וַ⁠יֹּאמְר֥וּ לַ⁠זַּ֖יִת מָלְכָ֥ה עָלֵֽי⁠נוּ

(Some words not found in UHB: to_go_out they_went_out the,trees to,anoint over,them king and=they_said to,tree מלוכ,ה over,us )

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 they asked the olive tree to reign over them]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative

מָלְכָ֥ה עָלֵֽי⁠נוּ

(Some words not found in UHB: to_go_out they_went_out the,trees to,anoint over,them king and=they_said to,tree מלוכ,ה over,us )

This is an imperative, but it communicates a respectful request rather than a command. Use a form in your language that communicates a respectful request. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: [Please reign over us]