OET interlinear PRO 1:19

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אָ֭רְחוֹת

ways_of

Here Solomon uses paths to refer to the destiny of those sinners. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “are the destinies of”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

כָּל

all/each/any/every

Here Solomon uses the adjective all as a noun to mean “every person.” Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “all people”

Note 3 topic: writing-poetry

בֹּ֣צֵֽעַ בָּ֑צַע

greedy gain

Here, unjustly gain unjust gain is an emphatic construction that uses a verb and its object that come from the same root. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to express the meaning here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of showing the emphasis. Alternate translation: “who are greedy for unjust gain”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בָּ֑צַע

gain

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of gain, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “what they gain unjustly”

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

אֶת־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בְּעָלָ֣י⁠ו יִקָּֽח

DOM creature possessors_of,its takes_away

Here, the pronouns it and its refer to the unjust gain that is mentioned in the previous clause. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “that unjust gain takes the life of the unjust gain’s owner”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

אֶת־נֶ֖פֶשׁ בְּעָלָ֣י⁠ו יִקָּֽח

DOM creature possessors_of,its takes_away

Solomon speaks of unjust gain as if it were a person who could kill its owner. He means that the wicked things that sinful people do to unjustly gain unjust gain will cause them to die. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “unjust gain results in its owner dying” or “seeking unjust gain kills those who do it” or “it is as if unjust gain takes the life of its owner”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

אֶת־נֶ֖פֶשׁ & יִקָּֽח

DOM creature & takes_away

Here, the phrase takes the life of means to kill someone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “it kills”