OET interlinear NAH 3:18

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / apostrophe

נָמ֤וּ רֹעֶ֨י⁠ךָ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר

slumber shepherds_of,your king (Some words not found in UHB: slumber shepherds_of,your king ʼAshshūr slumber your_of,nobles scattered people_of,your on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in the,mountains and,there_[is]_not gather )

Nahum has been addressing the people of Nineveh, which is the capital city of the nation of Assyria, but now he addresses the king who rules in Nineveh. He does this even though he knows that the king cannot hear him, in order to more powerfully express his prophecy against the people of Assyria and its leaders. If it would be helpful in your language, you could introduce this more clearly and put the rest of this address (through verse 19) in quote marks. Alternate translation: [This is what I would say to the king of Assyria: “Your shepherds are asleep]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

נָמ֤וּ רֹעֶ֨י⁠ךָ֙ & יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ אַדִּירֶ֑י⁠ךָ

slumber shepherds_of,your & (Some words not found in UHB: slumber shepherds_of,your king ʼAshshūr slumber your_of,nobles scattered people_of,your on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in the,mountains and,there_[is]_not gather )

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second phrase emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than and in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [your shepherds are asleep; that is, your nobles are lying down]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רֹעֶ֨י⁠ךָ֙

shepherds_of,your

The author is speaking of shepherds as if they were leaders because they guide and protect people as shepherds guide and protect sheep. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [your leaders]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

נָמ֤וּ & יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ

slumber & (Some words not found in UHB: slumber shepherds_of,your king ʼAshshūr slumber your_of,nobles scattered people_of,your on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in the,mountains and,there_[is]_not gather )

The author is referring to death in a polite way by using the phrases asleep and lying down. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more normal polite way of referring to this in your language, or you could state this plainly. Alternate translation: [have died … are dead]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

נָפֹ֧שׁוּ עַמְּ⁠ךָ֛

scattered (Some words not found in UHB: slumber shepherds_of,your king ʼAshshūr slumber your_of,nobles scattered people_of,your on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in the,mountains and,there_[is]_not gather )

If your language does not use a passive form like are scattered, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [Enemies have scattered your people]