OET interlinear MAT 9:15

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parables

μὴ δύνανται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος πενθεῖν, ἐφ’ ὅσον μετ’ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ὁ νυμφίος? ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡμέραι ὅταν ἀπαρθῇ ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ὁ νυμφίος, καὶ τότε νηστεύσουσιν

not /are/_being_able the sons ˱of˲_the bridal_chamber /to_be/_mourning for as_long_as with them is the bridegroom /will_be/_coming but days whenever /may_be/_taken_away from them the bridegroom and then ˱they˲_/will_be/_fasting

To help John’s disciples understand why his disciples do not fast, Jesus offers a brief illustration. He wants John’s disciples to think of him as if he were a bridegroom and of his disciples as if they were the sons of the bridal chamber. You should preserve the form of the parable, but if it would be helpful in your language, you could state explicitly that Jesus is like the bridegroom, and his disciples are like the sons of the bridal chamber. Alternate translation: “The sons of the bridal chamber are not able to mourn while the bridegroom is still with them, are they? But days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. I am like the bridegroom, and my disciples are like the sons of the bridal chamber.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

μὴ δύνανται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος πενθεῖν, ἐφ’ ὅσον μετ’ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ὁ νυμφίος?

not /are/_being_able the sons ˱of˲_the bridal_chamber /to_be/_mourning for as_long_as with them is the bridegroom

Jesus is using the question form to teach John’s disciples. 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: “The sons of the bridal chamber are certainly not able to mourn while the bridegroom is still with them.” or “The sons of the bridal chamber cannot mourn while the bridegroom is still with them!”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος

the sons ˱of˲_the bridal_chamber

The expression sons of describes people who share the qualities of something. In this case, Jesus is describing people who share the quality of being an integral part of a wedding. These are the male friends who attend the groom during the ceremony and the festivities. Alternate translation: “The groom’s attendants”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐλεύσονται & ἡμέραι ὅταν

/will_be/_coming & days whenever

Here Jesus is using the word days to refer to a particular time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a similar form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “a time will come when” or “there will be a time when”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἀπαρθῇ & ὁ νυμφίος

/may_be/_taken_away & the bridegroom

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 does the action, you could use an indefinite subject. Alternate translation: “someone will take the bridegroom away”