OET interlinear JOEL 2:23

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ⁠בְנֵ֣י צִיּ֗וֹן

and=the_sons Tsiyyōn/(Zion)

Joel is speaking as if Zion, meaning Jerusalem, were literally the mother of the people who lived in that city. Alternate translation: [residents of Zion] or [citizens of Jerusalem]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

אֱלֹֽהֵי⁠כֶ֔ם

God_of,your_all's

Since Joel and the people whom he is addressing worship the same God, it may be more natural in your language to say “our” instead of your. Languages that mark the distinction should use the inclusive form of “our.” Alternate translation: [our God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture

נָתַ֥ן לָ⁠כֶ֛ם אֶת־הַ⁠מּוֹרֶ֖ה לִ⁠צְדָקָ֑ה וַ⁠יּ֣וֹרֶד לָ⁠כֶ֗ם גֶּ֛שֶׁם

he/it_gave to/for=you_all DOM the,early_rain for,vindication and,poured_down to/for=you_all showers

Joel is using the past tense to describe something that is going to happen in the future in order to show that the event will certainly happen. If it would be clearer in your language, you could use the future tense. Alternate translation: [he will give to you the early rain for vindication and will bring down the shower to you]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לִ⁠צְדָקָ֑ה

for,vindication

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of vindication, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [to vindicate you]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

גֶּ֛שֶׁם

showers

Joel is not referring to a specific shower. He means showers in general. It may be more natural in your language to express this meaning by using a plural form. Alternate translation: [showers]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מוֹרֶ֥ה וּ⁠מַלְק֖וֹשׁ

Mōreh and,spring_rain

Joel is speaking from the perspective of his own culture and location. By early rain he means the fall rains, and by late rain he means the spring rains. You could say that explicitly if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the fall rains and the spring rains]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בָּ⁠רִאשֽׁוֹן

in/on/at/with,before

Joel is speaking from the perspective of his own culture. By in the first, he could mean either (1) Alternate translation: [as at first] or [as before] or (2) Alternate translation: [in the first month of the year]