OET interlinear PRO 16:26

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לּ֑⁠וֹ כִּֽי־אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣י⁠ו פִּֽי⁠הוּ

creature worker's works for=him/it that/for/because/then/when urges_~_on on/upon/above=him/it hunger_of,his

The appetite, the laborer, him, and his here refer to appetites and laborers in general, not to any particular appetite or laborer. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “The appetites of laborers labor for them, for their mouths press on them”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

נֶ֣פֶשׁ

creature

See how you translated the abstract noun appetite in [6:30](../06/30.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

עָ֣מְלָה לּ֑⁠וֹ

works for=him/it

Here Solomon speaks of The appetite of the laborer benefitting the laborer as if The appetite were a person who labors on his behalf. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “benefits him” or “is like a person who helps him while he is working”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

פִּֽי⁠הוּ

hunger_of,his

Here, mouth refers to the desire to eat, which involves using one’s mouth. It has the same meaning as appetite in the previous clause. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “his hunger” or “his desire to eat”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣י⁠ו פִּֽי⁠הוּ

urges_~_on on/upon/above=him/it hunger_of,his

Here Solomon speaks of hunger motivating a laborer to continue working as if that laborer’s mouth were a person who presses on him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “being hungry makes him keep working” or “being hungry is like being nagged by a person who urges him to keep working”