OET interlinear PRO 20:24

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

מֵ⁠יהוָ֥ה מִצְעֲדֵי

by,LORD steps_of

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “Yahweh directs a person’s steps”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מִצְעֲדֵי & דַּרְכּֽ⁠וֹ

steps_of & its=road/course

In this verse, steps and way refer to the things that people experience during their lives. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the similar use of “path” in [4:18](../04/18.md). Alternate translation: “are the life experiences of … his life experiences”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

גָ֑בֶר וְ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם & דַּרְכּֽ⁠וֹ

man's and=human/ʼĀdām & its=road/course

Here, a strong man, a man, and his refer to types of people in general, not to a specific man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “any strong person, so … a person … that person’s way”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

וְ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכּֽ⁠וֹ

and=human/ʼĀdām what? understand its=road/course

Solomon is using the question form to emphasize the truth of what he is saying. 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: “so surely a man cannot understand his way!”

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וְ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין

and=human/ʼĀdām what? understand

Here, so introduces the result of what was stated in the previous clause. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate result. You may need to start a new sentence. Alternate translation: “Therefore, how can a man understand”