OET interlinear NEH 6:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-newevent

וַ⁠יְהִ֗י

and=he/it_was

Nehemiah uses this phrase to introduce the next event in his story. You do not need to represent it in your translation unless your language has a similar expression that it characteristically uses.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבֵ֔י⁠נוּ

just=as heard all/each/any/every enemies,our

This means that these enemies learned by some means that work had been completed. Nehemiah uses hearing, one means of discovering things, to describe the enemies learning this. Alternate translation: “when all of our enemies learned”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבֵ֔י⁠נוּ

just=as heard all/each/any/every enemies,our

This means specifically, “When all our enemies learned that we had completed the rebuilding in such a short time.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

וַ⁠יִּֽרְא֗וּ כָּל־הַ⁠גּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבִֽיבֹתֵ֔י⁠נוּ וַ⁠יִּפְּל֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד בְּ⁠עֵינֵי⁠הֶ֑ם

and=they_saw all/each/any/every the=nations which/who surrounding,us and,fell very in/on/at/with,eyes_of,their

These two phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah uses the repetition to emphasize how intimidated the people in the surrounding countries felt. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “they thought much less of themselves” or “they lost confidence in themselves,” otherwise “they became afraid and felt humiliated”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַ⁠יִּפְּל֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד בְּ⁠עֵינֵי⁠הֶ֑ם

and,fell very in/on/at/with,eyes_of,their

Here, fell is a figurative way of saying “become less.”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַ⁠יִּפְּל֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד בְּ⁠עֵינֵי⁠הֶ֑ם

and,fell very in/on/at/with,eyes_of,their

Here, eyes stand for “seeing,” and “seeing” means judgment. This means that these people were no longer so great or powerful in their own estimation. Alternate translation: “they lost confidence in themselves”

Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וַ⁠יֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֚י מֵ⁠אֵ֣ת אֱלֹהֵ֔י⁠נוּ נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה הַ⁠מְּלָאכָ֥ה הַ⁠זֹּֽאת

and=they_knew that/for/because/then/when from,with God,our accomplished the,work the,this

You can put this right before the statement that the enemies were afraid and thought less of themselves, because it is the reason that explains that result. Alternate translation: “They realized that our God had helped us complete this work”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

מֵ⁠אֵ֣ת אֱלֹהֵ֔י⁠נוּ נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה הַ⁠מְּלָאכָ֥ה הַ⁠זֹּֽאת

from,with God,our accomplished the,work the,this

You can say this with an active form. Alternate translation: “our God had helped us complete this work”