OET interlinear 2 KI 18:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם עֵצָ֥ה וּ⁠גְבוּרָ֖ה לַ⁠מִּלְחָמָ֑ה עַתָּה֙ עַל־מִ֣י בָטַ֔חְתָּ כִּ֥י מָרַ֖דְתָּ בִּֽ⁠י

(Some words not found in UHB: think only message/matter_of lips strategy and,strength for,war now on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in who? rely that/for/because/then/when rebelled against,me )

If you have decided to translate all of this long quotation in such a way that there will not be quotations within quotations, you can continue doing that in this verse. Alternate translation: [The great king says that he is only speaking a word of lips when he says that he has counsel and might for war. The king asks in whom he is trusting, that he rebels against him.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם עֵצָ֥ה וּ⁠גְבוּרָ֖ה לַ⁠מִּלְחָמָ֑ה

(Some words not found in UHB: think only message/matter_of lips strategy and,strength for,war now on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in who? rely that/for/because/then/when rebelled against,me )

This could mean: (1) that the Assyrian king is saying Hezekiah claims to have sufficient military strength and strategy to resist, but that is mere talk. The ULT follows this interpretation. Alternate translation: [When you say, ‘I have counsel and might for war,’ that is just a word of lips] or (2) that the king is contrasting brave talk with what is actually needed for war. In that case, he would not be quoting Hezekiah. Alternate translation: [All you have is mere talk. Counsel and might are actually needed for war]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks

אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם עֵצָ֥ה וּ⁠גְבוּרָ֖ה לַ⁠מִּלְחָמָ֑ה

(Some words not found in UHB: think only message/matter_of lips strategy and,strength for,war now on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in who? rely that/for/because/then/when rebelled against,me )

There is a fourth level of quotation here, in addition to the three that a note describes in the previous verse. According to the interpretation that the ULT follows, the king of Assyria (level 3), whom Hezekiah’s officials are to quote (level 2), as the Rabshakeh tells them to do (level 1), is quoting what he believes Hezekiah is saying (level 4). If you have decided to mark levels of quotation with punctuation, use the appropriate punctuation in your language for this level as well.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ אַךְ־דְּבַר־שְׂפָתַ֔יִם

(Some words not found in UHB: think only message/matter_of lips strategy and,strength for,war now on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in who? rely that/for/because/then/when rebelled against,me )

The king of Assyria is using a word of lips as a common expression of his culture to mean “mere talk.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [You speak only empty words] or [It is mere talk when you say]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

עַתָּה֙ עַל־מִ֣י בָטַ֔חְתָּ כִּ֥י מָרַ֖דְתָּ בִּֽ⁠י

(Some words not found in UHB: think only message/matter_of lips strategy and,strength for,war now on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in who? rely that/for/because/then/when rebelled against,me )

The king of Assyria 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: [There is no one you can trust to help you, that you should rebel against me]