OET interlinear MAL 2:6

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

בְּ⁠פִ֔י⁠הוּ & בִ⁠שְׂפָתָ֑י⁠ו & הָלַ֣ךְ & הֵשִׁ֥יב

in,his_of,mouth & on,his_of,lips & walked & turned

Since Yahweh is referring to a group of people, it might be more natural in your language to use the plural form. Alternate translation: [in the mouths of the earlier priests … on their lips … they walked … they turned]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

תּוֹרַ֤ת אֱמֶת֙ הָיְתָ֣ה בְּ⁠פִ֔י⁠הוּ

instruction_of true she/it_was in,his_of,mouth

Yahweh is using the word mouth by association to mean what the priests said. Alternate translation: [He spoke the instruction of truth]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

תּוֹרַ֤ת אֱמֶת֙ הָיְתָ֣ה בְּ⁠פִ֔י⁠הוּ

instruction_of true she/it_was in,his_of,mouth

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of truth, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [He taught the people true things]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠עַוְלָ֖ה לֹא־נִמְצָ֣א בִ⁠שְׂפָתָ֑י⁠ו

and,unrighteousness not he/it_was_found on,his_of,lips

The people of this culture commonly said that something was … found to mean that it existed. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and there was no iniquity on his lips]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠עַוְלָ֖ה לֹא־נִמְצָ֣א בִ⁠שְׂפָתָ֑י⁠ו

and,unrighteousness not he/it_was_found on,his_of,lips

Yahweh is using the word lips by association to mean what the priests said. Alternate translation: [and there was no iniquity in what he said] or [and there was no iniquity found in what he said]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וְ⁠עַוְלָ֖ה לֹא־נִמְצָ֣א בִ⁠שְׂפָתָ֑י⁠ו

and,unrighteousness not he/it_was_found on,his_of,lips

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of iniquity, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [and he did not say things that led people to do what was wrong]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּ⁠שָׁל֤וֹם וּ⁠בְ⁠מִישׁוֹר֙

in,peace and,in,uprightness

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of peace and uprightness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [Peacefully and righteously]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הָלַ֣ךְ אִתִּ֔⁠י

walked with,me

Yahweh is speaking of how a person lives as if that were a path that he would walk along. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation. You could also use plain language. Alternate translation: [he lived as I want people to live] or [he lived in fellowship with me]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠רַבִּ֖ים הֵשִׁ֥יב מֵ⁠עָוֺֽן

and,many_[people] turned from,iniquity

Yahweh is speaking as if iniquity were a place from which people could be turned away. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and he influenced many to stop committing iniquity]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מֵ⁠עָוֺֽן

from,iniquity

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of iniquity, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [from doing what is wrong]