OET interlinear PSA 143:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּ֥י

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when pursued enemy self_of,my crushed to,ground life_of,my he,has_caused_me_to_dwell in,dark_places like,dead_[people]_of long )

The word translated as For indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [This is because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

רָ֘דַ֤ף אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ נַפְשִׁ֗⁠י

pursued enemy (Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when pursued enemy self_of,my crushed to,ground life_of,my he,has_caused_me_to_dwell in,dark_places like,dead_[people]_of long )

Here, my soul represents David himself. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [the enemy has pursued me]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דִּכָּ֣א לָ֭⁠אָרֶץ חַיָּתִ֑⁠י

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when pursued enemy self_of,my crushed to,ground life_of,my he,has_caused_me_to_dwell in,dark_places like,dead_[people]_of long )

Here David is speaking as if his enemy had physically crushed his life to the ground. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [he has completely defeated me] or [he has brought me very low]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בְ֝⁠מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when pursued enemy self_of,my crushed to,ground life_of,my he,has_caused_me_to_dwell in,dark_places like,dead_[people]_of long )

Here David is speaking as if his suffering were being in dark places. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [in places of despair] or [in places where it is as if I were dead]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כְּ⁠מֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when pursued enemy self_of,my crushed to,ground life_of,my he,has_caused_me_to_dwell in,dark_places like,dead_[people]_of long )

The point of this comparison is that just as the dead of ages are unable to help themselves, so is David in his suffering. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [like people who have been dead for a long time]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

כְּ⁠מֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when pursued enemy self_of,my crushed to,ground life_of,my he,has_caused_me_to_dwell in,dark_places like,dead_[people]_of long )

David is using the adjective dead as a noun to mean a certain kind of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this adjective with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [like those who died long ago]