OET interlinear LAM 2:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative

רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ וְֽ⁠הַבִּ֔יטָ⁠ה

look YHWH (Some words not found in UHB: look YHWH and,look, to,whom? dealt thus if eat women/wives descendant[s]_of,their children_of tender_care if killed in,the_sanctuary_of my=master priest and,prophet )

The imperatives See and look communicate a plea or request to God, not a command. If this does not communicate a polite request for your readers, you could use a form in your language that communicates a polite request. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: [Please see this, Yahweh, and pay attention]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

לְ⁠מִ֖י עוֹלַ֣לְתָּ כֹּ֑ה אִם־תֹּאכַ֨לְנָה נָשִׁ֤ים פִּרְיָ⁠ם֙ עֹלֲלֵ֣י טִפֻּחִ֔ים אִם־יֵהָרֵ֛ג בְּ⁠מִקְדַּ֥שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖⁠י כֹּהֵ֥ן וְ⁠נָבִֽיא

to,whom? (Some words not found in UHB: look YHWH and,look, to,whom? dealt thus if eat women/wives descendant[s]_of,their children_of tender_care if killed in,the_sanctuary_of my=master priest and,prophet )

The writer uses rhetorical questions to express grief that God would allow his own people to suffer so terribly, to express outrage that women have been driven to eat their own children, and to express shock that religious leaders have been killed in the very place that was meant to be holy and safe. The expected answer to all these questions is “No!” If you would not use rhetorical questions for these purposes in your language, you could translate these as statements or exclamations. Alternate translation: [You have never dealt with anyone else this way! It is terrible that women are eating their own children! It is horrible that priests and prophets have been killed in the sanctuary of the Lord!]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

פִּרְיָ⁠ם֙

(Some words not found in UHB: look YHWH and,look, to,whom? dealt thus if eat women/wives descendant[s]_of,their children_of tender_care if killed in,the_sanctuary_of my=master priest and,prophet )

The expression their fruit was a common expression meaning their children or offspring. If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, use an equivalent expression or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [their children]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

כֹּהֵ֥ן וְ⁠נָבִֽיא

(Some words not found in UHB: look YHWH and,look, to,whom? dealt thus if eat women/wives descendant[s]_of,their children_of tender_care if killed in,the_sanctuary_of my=master priest and,prophet )

The writer is referring to all of Israel’s religious leaders by naming two representative roles, priest and prophet. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [all their religious leaders]