OET interlinear 1 KI 1:2

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

עֲבָדָ֗י⁠ו

servants_of,his

Here, the word servants could refer to: (1) important officials or attendants in David’s court. Alternate translation: “his courtiers” or “his advisors” (1) attendants, perhaps the same people mentioned in the previous verse who tried to keep David warm. Alternate translation: “his attendants”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

וַ⁠יֹּ֧אמְרוּ ל֣⁠וֹ עֲבָדָ֗י⁠ו יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ לַ⁠אדֹנִ֤⁠י הַ⁠מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ נַעֲרָ֣ה בְתוּלָ֔ה וְ⁠עָֽמְדָה֙ לִ⁠פְנֵ֣י הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ וּ⁠תְהִי־ל֖⁠וֹ סֹכֶ֑נֶת וְ⁠שָׁכְבָ֣ה בְ⁠חֵיקֶ֔⁠ךָ וְ⁠חַ֖ם לַ⁠אדֹנִ֥⁠י הַ⁠מֶּֽלֶךְ׃

and=they_said to=him/it servants_of,his search_for for,my_of,lord the=king young virgin and,she_will_stand to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before the=king and,let_her_be to=him/it attendant and,she_will_lie in,your_of,bosom and,it_will_be_warm to,my_of,lord (Some words not found in UHB: and=they_said to=him/it servants_of,his search_for for,my_of,lord the=king young virgin and,she_will_stand to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before the=king and,let_her_be to=him/it attendant and,she_will_lie in,your_of,bosom and,it_will_be_warm to,my_of,lord the,king )

It may be more natural in your language to have a direct quotation here. Alternate translation: “And his servants asked him if people could seek for him, the king, a young woman, a virgin, so that she could stand to his face. They told him that she would be one who is useful for him, and she would lie in his bosom, and it would be warm for him, the king”

Note 3 topic: writing-pronouns

יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ

search_for

The pronoun They refers to the people whom the servants sent to seek for the young woman. If this is not clear for your readers, you could use a form that refers to an indefinite group of people. Alternate translation: “Certain people are seeking”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

לַ⁠אדֹנִ֤⁠י הַ⁠מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ & לִ⁠פְנֵ֣י הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ & ל֖⁠וֹ & לַ⁠אדֹנִ֥⁠י הַ⁠מֶּֽלֶךְ

for,my_of,lord the=king & to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before the=king & to=him/it & to,my_of,lord the,king

These servants addresses king David in the third person as a sign of respect. If this would not be natural in your language, you could use the first person form and indicate the respect in another way. Alternate translation: “for you, my great king, … to your face … for you … for you, my great king”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠עָֽמְדָה֙ לִ⁠פְנֵ֣י

and,she_will_stand to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before

Here the servants speak of how the young woman will always serve the king as if she would stand to the face of the king. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and she will always be ready to serve”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠שָׁכְבָ֣ה בְ⁠חֵיקֶ֔⁠ךָ

and,she_will_lie in,your_of,bosom

Here the servants imply that the young woman will sleep in David’s bed with him and will physically touch him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “and she will lie down in your arms” or “she will hug you as you sleep”

וְ⁠חַ֖ם לַ⁠אדֹנִ֥⁠י הַ⁠מֶּֽלֶךְ

and,it_will_be_warm to,my_of,lord the,king

Alternate translation: “and she will keep my lord the king warm”