OET interlinear 1KI 2:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יָקִ֨ים יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־דְּבָר֗⁠וֹ

establish YHWH DOM promise,his

Here David speaks as if Yahweh’s word were an object that Yahweh could cause to stand. He means that Yahweh will do what he said in his word. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Yahweh may establish his word” or “Yahweh may fulfill his word”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

אֶת־דְּבָר֗⁠וֹ

DOM promise,his

Here, word represents what Yahweh said using words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “what he said”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

לֵ⁠אמֹר֒ אִם־יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֜י⁠ךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּ֗⁠ם לָ⁠לֶ֤כֶת לְ⁠פָנַ⁠י֙ בֶּ⁠אֱמֶ֔ת בְּ⁠כָל־לְבָבָ֖⁠ם וּ⁠בְ⁠כָל־נַפְשָׁ֑⁠ם לֵ⁠אמֹ֕ר לֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֤ת לְ⁠ךָ֙ אִ֔ישׁ מֵ⁠עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

to=say if take_heed sons,your DOM way,their to=go to/for=my=face/front in/on/at/with,faithfulness in=all heart,their and=on/over=all soul,their to=say not fail to/for=yourself(m) (a)_man from=under throne Yisrael

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: “saying that, if my sons keep their way, to walk to Yahweh’s face in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, then a man for me will not be cut off from on the throne of Israel.”

Note 4 topic: writing-quotations

לֵ⁠אמֹר֒ & לֵ⁠אמֹ֕ר

to=say & to=say

If you preserve the direct quotation, consider natural ways of introducing direct quotations in your language. David repeats the word saying to emphasize that Yahweh said these words. Consider how you might express this emphasis in your language. Alternate translation: “when he himself said … and then he added”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֜י⁠ךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּ֗⁠ם לָ⁠לֶ֤כֶת לְ⁠פָנַ⁠י֙

take_heed sons,your DOM way,their to=go to/for=my=face/front

Yahweh speaks of obeying him as if it were keeping a way and as if it were walking before his face. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “your sons will continue to obey, doing what I desire” or “your sons continue to live their lives in the ways that I wish”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

בָנֶ֜י⁠ךָ

sons,your

Yahweh is using sons to represent David’s descendants in general. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “your offspring” or “the people descended from you”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בֶּ⁠אֱמֶ֔ת

in/on/at/with,faithfulness

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of trust, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “in a trustworthy way” or “sincerely”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְּ⁠כָל־לְבָבָ֖⁠ם וּ⁠בְ⁠כָל־נַפְשָׁ֑⁠ם

in=all heart,their and=on/over=all soul,their

In David’s culture, the heart is the place where humans think and feel, and the soul represents a person’s life with special focus on that person’s identity and actions. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate heart and soul by referring to the part of the body where humans do and experience these things in your culture or by expressing the ideas plainly. Alternate translation: “in whatever they desire and in whatever they do”

Note 9 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

לְבָבָ֖⁠ם & נַפְשָׁ֑⁠ם

heart,their & soul,their

If it would not be natural in your language to speak as if a group of people had only one heart and one soul, you could use the plural form of that word in your translation. Alternate translation: “their hearts … their souls”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֤ת & מֵ⁠עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

not fail & from=under throne Yisrael

Here Yahweh speaks as if a king were a branch that could be cut off. He is referring to how a king could be stopped from reigning. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “will not be prevented from sitting on the throne of Israel”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / litotes

לֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֤ת & מֵ⁠עַ֖ל

not fail & from=under

Yahweh is using a figure of speech here that expresses a strongly positive meaning by using a negative word, not, together with an expression that is the opposite of the intended meaning, cut off. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the positive meaning. Alternate translation: “will certainly continue” or “will most definitely remain on”

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

מֵ⁠עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

from=under throne Yisrael

Here, throne of Israel represents rule and authority as king over Israel. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “from reigning over Israel” or “from being king of Israel”