OET interlinear PSA 25:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative

דְּרָכֶ֣י⁠ךָ יְ֭הוָה הוֹדִיעֵ֑⁠נִי אֹ֖רְחוֹתֶ֣י⁠ךָ לַמְּדֵֽ⁠נִי

(Some words not found in UHB: ways_of,your YHWH make,known_to_me paths_of,your teach,me )

These are imperatives, but they communicate polite requests rather than commands. If the imperative forms do not communicate polite requests for your readers, then use a form in your language that communicates polite requests. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: [Please make me know your ways, Yahweh; please teach me your paths]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

דְּרָכֶ֣י⁠ךָ יְ֭הוָה הוֹדִיעֵ֑⁠נִי אֹ֖רְחוֹתֶ֣י⁠ךָ לַמְּדֵֽ⁠נִי

(Some words not found in UHB: ways_of,your YHWH make,known_to_me paths_of,your teach,me )

These two phrases Make me know your ways, Yahweh and teach me your paths mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and you may want to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation. If it is helpful, you could connect the phrases in a way that shows that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: [Make me know your ways, Yahweh, yes, teach me your paths]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אֹ֖רְחוֹתֶ֣י⁠ךָ לַמְּדֵֽ⁠נִי

paths_of,your (Some words not found in UHB: ways_of,your YHWH make,known_to_me paths_of,your teach,me )

David is speaking of how to live as if it were paths that he could walk along. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [teach me how to live according to your will] or [teach me how I should live]