OET interlinear MAT 13:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν

in the_‹time› /to_be/_sowing ˱of˲_him

While there are many ways to sow or plant seeds, here Jesus is describing a practice in which farmers pick up handfuls of seed and throw them so that they are scattered all over the top of the soil. This method is a quick and easy way to plant seeds in large fields, but some seeds land on ground that is not good for them to grow in. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make it more explicit what kind of sowing this is. Alternate translation: “as he threw the seeds over the ground” or “as he scattered the seeds over the field”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ ἦλθεν τὰ πετεινὰ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτά

some on_one_hand fell along the road and came the birds and devoured them

Here Jesus implies that the seeds that fall beside the road do not sink into the ground. Instead, they just sit on top of the hard-packed dirt by the road and are unprotected from birds. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “some fell on the hard ground beside the road, and the birds came and easily devoured them”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ἃ

some

Jesus is using the adjective some as a noun to mean some of the seeds. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “some seeds”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

τὰ πετεινὰ

the birds

The phrase the birds represents any birds, not particular birds. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “birds”