OET interlinear PSA 42:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֬⁠י דִמְעָתִ֣⁠י לֶ֭חֶם

(Some words not found in UHB: thirsts being_of,my for,God for_[the],God living_(creature) when(q) come and,will_I_present_myself? face/surface_of ʼElohīm )

The psalmist is using one kind of food, bread, to represent food in general. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [My weeping is my food]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֬⁠י דִמְעָתִ֣⁠י לֶ֭חֶם

(Some words not found in UHB: thirsts being_of,my for,God for_[the],God living_(creature) when(q) come and,will_I_present_myself? face/surface_of ʼElohīm )

The psalmist is speaking as if he were actually eating his weeping. He means that he has been weeping so much that he has been unable to eat. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Instead of eating, I have been weeping]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

יוֹמָ֣ם וָ⁠לָ֑יְלָה

(Some words not found in UHB: thirsts being_of,my for,God for_[the],God living_(creature) when(q) come and,will_I_present_myself? face/surface_of ʼElohīm )

The psalmist is using the two main components of time, day and night, to mean all of time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [all the time]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בֶּ⁠אֱמֹ֥ר אֵלַ֥⁠י

(Some words not found in UHB: thirsts being_of,my for,God for_[the],God living_(creature) when(q) come and,will_I_present_myself? face/surface_of ʼElohīm )

The psalmist does not indicate specifically who has been saying what he quotes. To make clear that someone else, not the psalmist, has been saying this, the ULT supplies the indefinite pronoun their. It may be natural in your language to do something similar. You could also use a general expression. Alternate translation: [as they say to me] or [as people say to me]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

כָּל־הַ֝⁠יּ֗וֹם

(Some words not found in UHB: thirsts being_of,my for,God for_[the],God living_(creature) when(q) come and,will_I_present_myself? face/surface_of ʼElohīm )

The psalmist is saying all the day as an overstatement for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: [constantly]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

אַיֵּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽי⁠ךָ

(Some words not found in UHB: thirsts being_of,my for,God for_[the],God living_(creature) when(q) come and,will_I_present_myself? face/surface_of ʼElohīm )

The psalmist’s enemies are using the question form to mock him. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [Your God certainly does not appear to be helping you!]