OET interlinear MAT 22:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

λέγων, εἴπατε τοῖς κεκλημένοις, ἰδοὺ, τὸ ἄριστόν μου ἡτοίμακα, οἱ ταῦροί μου καὶ τὰ σιτιστὰ τεθυμένα, καὶ πάντα ἕτοιμα; δεῦτε εἰς τοὺς γάμους.

saying say ˱to˲_the_‹ones› /having_been/_invited behold the dinner ˱of˲_me ˱I˲_/have/_prepared the bulls ˱of˲_me and the grain_fed /having_been/_sacrificed and all_‹things› /are/_ready come to the wedding_festivities

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there are not quotations within quotations. Alternate translation: [telling them to say to the ones having been invited that he had prepared his dinner, that his oxen and fattened calves had been killed, and that all things were ready, so they should come to the wedding feast.]

Note 2 topic: writing-quotations

λέγων

saying

If you keep the direct quotation, consider natural ways of introducing it in your language. Alternate translation: [and he told them]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τοῖς κεκλημένοις

˱to˲_the_‹ones› /having_been/_invited

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it was king himself. Alternate translation: [the ones that I have invited]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

ἰδοὺ

behold

Here, the word behold is intended to draw the attention of the people who were invited and asks them to listen carefully. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express behold with a word or phrase that asks these people to listen. Alternate translation: [Listen] or [Pay attention:]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸ ἄριστόν μου ἡτοίμακα

the dinner ˱of˲_me ˱I˲_/have/_prepared

Here the king implies that he had his servants prepare the dinner. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [I have had people prepare my dinner]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

οἱ ταῦροί μου καὶ τὰ σιτιστὰ τεθυμένα

the bulls ˱of˲_me and the grain_fed /having_been/_sacrificed

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it was the king’s servants. Alternate translation: [My servants have killed my oxen and fattened calves]

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

οἱ ταῦροί μου καὶ τὰ σιτιστὰ

the bulls ˱of˲_me and the grain_fed

The word bulls refers to male cows. The phrase fattened calves refers to young cows that were specially fed and taken care of so that they would make good food when they were slaughtered. These animals were valuable and considered to be very good for food. If your readers would not be familiar with these types of animals, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [My male cows and specially fed young cows] or [The special animals that we will eat]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τεθυμένα

/having_been/_sacrificed

Here the king implies that the oxen and fattened calves have been slaughtered and prepared for eating. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [have been prepared as food]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative

δεῦτε

come

This is an imperative, but it should be translated as a polite request rather than as a command. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: [I ask that you come]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / go

δεῦτε

come

In a context such as this, your language might say “Go” instead of Come. Alternate translation: [Go]