OET interlinear MAT 12:34

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν & ὄντες

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: γενήματα ἐχιδνῶν πῶς δύνασθε ἀγαθὰ λαλεῖν πονηροὶ ὄντες ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ)

Translate this metaphor as you did in 3:7. Alternate translation: “You are like poisonous creatures! Being” or “You wicked people! Being”

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

πονηροὶ ὄντες

evil being

Here, the phrase being evil gives the reason why Jesus implies that the Pharisees cannot say good things. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “since you are evil”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

πῶς δύνασθε ἀγαθὰ λαλεῖν

how ˱you_all˲_/are/_being_able good_‹things› /to_be/_speaking

Jesus is using the question form to rebuke the Pharisees for failing to speak good things. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: “you are certainly not able to say good things” or “you are never able to say good things!”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

for

Here, the word For introduces a reason why evil people cannot say good things. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason or basis for a claim, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: “That is because” or “The reason you are not able to say good things is that”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐκ & τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας, τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ

out_of & the excess ˱of˲_the heart the mouth /is/_speaking

Here Jesus speaks as if the heart were a container that could be full of an abundance of thoughts or desires. When the heart is full, it overflows out through the mouth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “whatever fills the heart comes out of the mouth” or “whatever is in the heart is what the mouth speaks”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

τῆς καρδίας, τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ

˱of˲_the heart the mouth /is/_speaking

The words heart and mouth represents people’s hearts and mouths in general, not one particular person’s heart and mouth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “of their hearts people’s mouths speak”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τῆς καρδίας

˱of˲_the heart

In Matthew’s culture, the heart is the place where humans think and feel. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate heart by referring to the place where humans think and feel in your culture or by stating the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “of the thoughts” or “of the desires”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ

the mouth /is/_speaking

Here, the word mouth represents the person as a whole, in the act of speaking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “the person speaks”