OET interlinear PRO 2:18

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּ֤י

that/for/because/then/when

For here indicates that what follows is the reason why “discretion” and “understanding” rescue a man from an adulterous woman, as stated in [2:16](../02/16.md). Use the most natural way in your language to state a reason. Alternate translation: “Discretion and understanding will rescue you from her because”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

שָׁ֣חָה אֶל־מָ֣וֶת בֵּיתָ֑⁠הּ וְ⁠אֶל־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽי⁠הָ

sinks_down to/towards death house_of,her and=near/to dead paths_of,her

These two phrases mean similar things. The author is using repetition to emphasize the idea that the phrases express. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “involvement with her will totally destroy you”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שָׁ֣חָה & בֵּיתָ֑⁠הּ

sinks_down & house_of,her

Here, her house represents the woman herself and her activities. Alternate translation: “being involved with her takes you down”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שָׁ֣חָה אֶל־מָ֣וֶת

sinks_down to/towards death

Here Solomon speaks of death as a place. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “results in a man dying” or “is a way to die”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠אֶל־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽי⁠הָ

and=near/to dead paths_of,her

Solomon is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. If necessary, you could supply these words from the previous clause. Alternate translation: “and her tracks sink down to the spirits of the dead” or “and her tracks lead to the spirits of the dead”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מַעְגְּלֹתֶֽי⁠הָ

paths_of,her

Here, Solomon speaks of the activities that a man would participate in with this woman as her tracks. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “becoming involved with her”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

רְ֝פָאִ֗ים

dead

Here, the spirits of dead ones refers to the place where people’s spirits go when they die, which was called “Sheol” in [1:12](../01/12.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “the place where the spirits of dead people dwell” or “the place of the dead”