OET interlinear JOEL 3:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

וְ֠⁠גַם מָה־אַתֶּ֥ם לִ⁠י֙ צֹ֣ר וְ⁠צִיד֔וֹן וְ⁠כֹ֖ל גְּלִיל֣וֹת פְּלָ֑שֶׁת הַ⁠גְּמ֗וּל אַתֶּם֙ מְשַׁלְּמִ֣ים עָלָ֔⁠י & אַתֶּם֙

and=also what (Some words not found in UHB: and=also what you(pl) to=me Tyre and,Sidon and=all/each/any/every regions_of Fəleshet ?,recompense you(pl) repaying to,me and=if paying_~_back you(pl) to,me swiftly speedily return recompense_of,your(pl) on,head_of,your(pl) )

Yahweh is using the question form for emphasis. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [And indeed, you have nothing to hold against me, Tyre, Sidon, and all of the regions of Philistia! There is no recompense that you need to pay back to me!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

מָה־אַתֶּ֥ם לִ⁠י֙

what (Some words not found in UHB: and=also what you(pl) to=me Tyre and,Sidon and=all/each/any/every regions_of Fəleshet ?,recompense you(pl) repaying to,me and=if paying_~_back you(pl) to,me swiftly speedily return recompense_of,your(pl) on,head_of,your(pl) )

This is an expression that a person in this culture would commonly use to ask another person why he was treating him with hostility. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation. You could also use plain language. Alternate translation: [what do you have against me] or [why are you treating me with hostility]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הַ⁠גְּמ֗וּל אַתֶּם֙ מְשַׁלְּמִ֣ים עָלָ֔⁠י וְ⁠אִם־גֹּמְלִ֤ים אַתֶּם֙ עָלַ֔⁠י

(Some words not found in UHB: and=also what you(pl) to=me Tyre and,Sidon and=all/each/any/every regions_of Fəleshet ?,recompense you(pl) repaying to,me and=if paying_~_back you(pl) to,me swiftly speedily return recompense_of,your(pl) on,head_of,your(pl) )

Yahweh is speaking as if the nations were literally paying him back for something bad that he had done to them. He is asking if they have a grudge against him that they are carrying out. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Do you have some grudge against me that you are carrying out? And if you are carrying out a grudge against me]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

קַ֣ל מְהֵרָ֔ה

swiftly speedily

The terms swiftly and speedily mean similar things. Yahweh is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [very quickly]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

אָשִׁ֥יב גְּמֻלְ⁠כֶ֖ם בְּ⁠רֹאשְׁ⁠כֶֽם

(Some words not found in UHB: and=also what you(pl) to=me Tyre and,Sidon and=all/each/any/every regions_of Fəleshet ?,recompense you(pl) repaying to,me and=if paying_~_back you(pl) to,me swiftly speedily return recompense_of,your(pl) on,head_of,your(pl) )

Yahweh is using one part of a person, his head, to mean the entire person. If it would be clearer in your language, you could express this meaning with a more general term. Alternate translation: [I will turn your recompense onto you] or [I will directly pay you back]

Note 6 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

בְּ⁠רֹאשְׁ⁠כֶֽם

(Some words not found in UHB: and=also what you(pl) to=me Tyre and,Sidon and=all/each/any/every regions_of Fəleshet ?,recompense you(pl) repaying to,me and=if paying_~_back you(pl) to,me swiftly speedily return recompense_of,your(pl) on,head_of,your(pl) )

Since Yahweh is referring to multiple nations, it might be more natural in your language to use the plural form of head. Alternate translation: [onto your heads]