OET interlinear MAT 5:13

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς; ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται? εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι, εἰ μὴ βληθὲν ἔξω, καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων

you_all are the salt ˱of˲_the earth if but the salt /may_be/_made_tasteless with what ˱it˲_/will_be_being/_salted for nothing ˱it˲_/is/_being_effective anymore except ¬not/lest /having_been/_cast out /to_be_being/_trampled by the people

Here Jesus calls his disciples salt that seasons the earth. Just as salt makes food better in many ways, so Jesus’ disciples make the world better in many ways. However, just as salt that no longer functions properly is thrown out because it cannot be fixed, so Jesus’ disciples will be punished if they do not make the world better. If possible, preserve the metaphor or use simile form. Alternate translation: [You are like salt for the earth. But if you are like salt that has been made tasteless, how can you be made salty again? Just like that salt, you are good for nothing any longer. That salt will be thrown out to be trampled by men, and you will be punished in a similar way]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς

the salt ˱of˲_the earth

Here, Jesus is using the possessive form to describe salt that seasons the earth. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the salt that seasons the earth]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τῆς γῆς

˱of˲_the earth

Here, the word earth refers primarily to the people who live on the earth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer specifically to people here. Alternate translation: [of the people on the earth] or [of all people]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

ἐὰν & τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι

if & the salt /may_be/_made_tasteless with what

Jesus means that it is possible for salt to lose its taste, and he is speaking about what can or cannot happen after salt has lost its taste. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a situation that could happen. Alternate translation: [suppose that the salt is made tasteless. With what]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

μωρανθῇ

/may_be/_made_tasteless

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. Alternate translation: [has become tasteless] or [has lost its taste]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται?

with what ˱it˲_/will_be_being/_salted

Jesus is using the question form to show that no one can make ruined salt salty again. 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: [it cannot be made salty again!] or [it is not possible to make it salty again.]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἁλισθήσεται

˱it˲_/will_be_being/_salted

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. Alternate translation: [might someone make it salty again]

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-exceptions

εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι, εἰ μὴ βληθὲν ἔξω, καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων

for nothing ˱it˲_/is/_being_effective anymore except ¬not/lest /having_been/_cast out /to_be_being/_trampled by the people

If, in your language, it would appear that Jesus was making a statement here and then contradicting it, you could reword this to avoid using an exception clause. Alternate translation: [The only thing it is good for is, having been thrown out, to be trampled by men]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

εἰ μὴ βληθὲν ἔξω, καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων

except ¬not/lest /having_been/_cast out /to_be_being/_trampled by the people

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. Alternate translation: [except, after people have thrown it out, for men to trample it]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

τῶν ἀνθρώπων

the people

Although the term men is masculine, Jesus is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: [men and women] or [people]