OET interlinear PRO 30:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative

שָׁ֤וְא ׀ וּֽ⁠דְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗⁠נִּי

falsehood and,words_of lying keep_~_far from,me

This is an imperative clause, but it communicates a polite request rather than a command. Use a form in your language that communicates a polite request. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: “Please put far away from me emptiness and the word of a lie”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שָׁ֤וְא ׀ וּֽ⁠דְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗⁠נִּי

falsehood and,words_of lying keep_~_far from,me

Here, Agur speaks of Emptiness and the word of a lie as if they were objects that could be put far away from a person. He means that he wants God to prevent him from acting or speaking with Emptiness and the word of a lie. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Keep me from acting with emptiness and speaking the word of a lie”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שָׁ֤וְא

falsehood

Emptiness here refers to dishonesty or deception. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Dishonesty”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

וּֽ⁠דְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב

and,words_of lying

Here, Agur is using the possessive form to describe a word that is a lie. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “and a lying word”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וּֽ⁠דְבַר

and,words_of

See how you translated the same use of word in [12:25](../12/25.md).

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative

רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭⁠עֹשֶׁר אַל־תִּֽתֶּן־לִ֑⁠י הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗⁠נִי לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽ⁠י

poverty and,riches not give to=me feed,me food/grain/bread need_of,my

These two clauses are imperative clauses, but they communicate polite requests rather than commands. Use a form in your language that communicates polite requests. It may be helpful to add expressions such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: “Please do not give to me poverty or riches; please cause me to receive the bread of my portion”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭⁠עֹשֶׁר אַל־תִּֽתֶּן־לִ֑⁠י

poverty and,riches not give to=me

Here, Agur speaks of being poor or rich as if poverty and riches were physical objects that someone could give to someone else. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Do not allow me to be poor or rich”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽ⁠י

food/grain/bread need_of,my

This could refer to: (1) an amount of bread that Yahweh has allotted for Agur. Alternate translation: “the bread you have apportioned for me” (2) the amount of bread Agur needs to live. Alternate translation: “the bread I need”

Note 9 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗⁠נִי

feed,me

This clause is a strong contrast to the previous clause. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate a contrast. Alternate translation: “rather, cause me to receive” or “cause me to receive instead”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

לֶ֣חֶם

food/grain/bread

See how you translated the same use of bread in [9:5](../09/05.md).