OET interlinear MAT 7:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

ἢ

or

Here, the word Or introduces a second question that provides another improper way to behave. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a similar situation or command, or you could leave Or untranslated. Alternate translation: “Again,” or “Even further,”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ, ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ?

or how ˱you˲_/will_be/_saying ˱to˲_the brother ˱of˲_you allow_‹that› ˱I˲_/may/_cast_out the speck from the eye ˱of˲_you and behold the beam_‹is› in the eye ˱of˲_you

Jesus asks this question to challenge his disciples to pay attention to the log in their own eye before they pay attention to a speck of wood in another person’s eye. 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 should not say to your brother, ‘Let me take out the speck of wood from your eye,’ while behold, the log is in your eye.” or “Do not say to your brother, ‘Let me take out the speck of wood from your eye,’ while behold, the log is in your eye!”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου

˱to˲_the brother ˱of˲_you

Jesus is using the term brother to mean a person who shares the same faith. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to your fellow disciple”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου

˱to˲_the brother ˱of˲_you

Although the term brother is masculine, Jesus is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If you retain the metaphor in your translation, and if it would be helpful in your language, you could say “brother or sister” to indicate this. Alternate translation: “to your brother or sister”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd

σου, ἄφες & σου & σοῦ

˱of˲_you allow_‹that› & ˱of˲_you & ˱of˲_you

Even though Jesus is speaking to many disciples, he is addressing an individual situation, so your is singular throughout this verse. But if the singular form would not be natural in your language for someone who is speaking to a group of people, you could use the plural form of your in your translation.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ, ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ

allow_‹that› ˱I˲_/may/_cast_out the speck from the eye ˱of˲_you and behold the beam_‹is› in the eye ˱of˲_you

Here Jesus continues to refer to small faults and mistakes as if they were a speck of wood in a person’s eye and to large faults and mistakes as if they were a log in a person’s eye. Express the idea as you did in 7:3. Alternate translation: “‘Let me assist you in getting rid of your small fault, which is like a speck of wood in your eye,’ while behold, you have your own large fault, which is like a log in your eye” or “‘Let me assist you in avoiding the small mistakes you make,’ while behold, you have your own large mistakes”

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

τὸ κάρφος

the speck

Translate the phrase speck of wood as you did in 7:3. Alternate translation: “the grain of sand” or “the tiny object”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

ἰδοὺ

behold

Here, the word behold draws the attention of the audience 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 the audience to listen, or you could draw the audience’s attention in another way. Alternate translation: “picture this” or “see”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

ἡ δοκὸς

the beam_‹is›

A log could not literally go into a person’s eye. Jesus is using an extreme example to emphasize his point and make it memorable. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to the largest object that could fall into a person’s eye. Alternate translation: “the large piece of wood”

Note 10 topic: translate-unknown

ἡ δοκὸς

the beam_‹is›

Translate the word log as you did in 7:3. Alternate translation: “the beam” or “the plank” or “the large object”