OET interlinear JOEL 1:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

אֱלִ֕י

lament

The imperative Mourn is feminine singular because Joel is telling the community to mourn as it would as if it were a young woman whose fiancé had died. It may be more natural in your language to use a plural imperative.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כִּ⁠בְתוּלָ֥ה חֲגֻֽרַת־שַׂ֖ק עַל־בַּ֥עַל נְעוּרֶֽי⁠הָ

like,virgin girded_of sackcloth on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in husband_of youth_of,her

The point of this comparison is that just as a virgin dresses in sackcloth to express her grief, so the Israelites should mourn to express their grief. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [like a virgin dressed in sackcloth to express her grief for the husband of her youth]

Note 3 topic: translate-symaction

כִּ⁠בְתוּלָ֥ה חֲגֻֽרַת־שַׂ֖ק

like,virgin girded_of sackcloth

To wear sackcloth, which is clothing made of rough, uncomfortable fabric, is a symbolic action that expresses grief. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action. Alternate translation: [like a virgin dressed in sackcloth to express her grief]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

כִּ⁠בְתוּלָ֥ה חֲגֻֽרַת־שַׂ֖ק

like,virgin girded_of sackcloth

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [like a virgin who has dressed herself in sackcloth]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בַּ֥עַל נְעוּרֶֽי⁠הָ

husband_of youth_of,her

Joel assumes that his listeners will know that by the husband of her youth, he means the fiancé to whom a young woman was betrothed. The word virgin indicates that this woman was not yet married, but in this culture, engagement was tanatmount to marriage and a fiancé was considered a husband. You could express this relationship with your own culture’s characteristic terms if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the fiancé of her youth]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בַּ֥עַל נְעוּרֶֽי⁠הָ

husband_of youth_of,her

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of youth, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the man she became engaged to while she was young]