OET interlinear JOB 17:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

בַּדֵּ֣י שְׁאֹ֣ל תֵּרַ֑דְנָה אִם־יַ֖חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר נָֽחַת

bars sheol go_down if together on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in dust descend

Job is using the question form for emphasis. If you would not use the question form for that purpose in your language, you could translate these questions as statements or as exclamations. Alternate translation: “Then they would descend to the bars of Sheol! Then our rest would be together in the dust!”

Note 2 topic: translate-plural

תֵּרַ֑דְנָה

go_down

The pronoun they refers to the hope that Job described in the previous verse. Job may be using a plural term to speak of the hope that he said would not be and the hope that he said no one would see, even though this is basically the same hope. If it would be more natural in your language, you could use a singular pronoun in your translation. Alternate translation: “Will it descend” or, as a statement, “Then it would descend”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בַּדֵּ֣י שְׁאֹ֣ל

bars sheol

Job is using the term bars to mean “gates,” by association with the way that bars keep a gate locked. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to the gates of Sheol”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בַּדֵּ֣י שְׁאֹ֣ל

bars sheol

Job means implicitly that if his hope went down to the bars or gates of Sheol, it would be admitted there. You could indicate that in your translation if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: “to Sheol and be admitted there”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

אִם־יַ֖חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר נָֽחַת

if together on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in dust descend

When Job speaks of having rest in the dust, he means having died. This is a poetic way of referring to death. Your language may have a similar expression that you could use in your translation. Alternate translation: “Will we die together” or “Will my hope die with me”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

אִם־יַ֖חַד עַל־עָפָ֣ר נָֽחַת

if together on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in dust descend

Job is speaking of his hope as if it were a living thing that could have rest. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Do I have nothing more to hope for in this life”