OET interlinear PSA 55:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

חָלְק֤וּ ׀ מַחְמָאֹ֣ת פִּי⁠ו֮

(Some words not found in UHB: Shalah hands_of,his on,allies_of,his violated covenant_of,his )

David is speaking as if the things that this former friend said with his mouth had actually been curds. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this image as a comparison. Alternate translation: [The things that he said were so smooth, it was as if they were curds] or [What he said caused no concern, just as a person can swallow curds without difficulty because they are smooth]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּֽ⁠קֲרָב־לִ֫בּ֥⁠וֹ

(Some words not found in UHB: Shalah hands_of,his on,allies_of,his violated covenant_of,his )

David is speaking as if this former friend’s heart, which represents his feelings, had actually been war. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [but secretly he felt hostile toward me]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

רַכּ֖וּ דְבָרָ֥י⁠ו מִ⁠שֶּׁ֗מֶן

(Some words not found in UHB: Shalah hands_of,his on,allies_of,his violated covenant_of,his )

The point of this comparison is that while soft olive oil is soothing to the skin, the words of this former friend were even more soothing and reassuring to David. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [His words were even more soothing to me than soft olive oil is to the skin]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠הֵ֣מָּה פְתִחֽוֹת

(Some words not found in UHB: Shalah hands_of,his on,allies_of,his violated covenant_of,his )

David is speaking as if this former friend’s words had actually been swords that soldiers had unsheathed so that they were ready to use. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [but they were actually dangerous and deadly]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

פְתִחֽוֹת

(Some words not found in UHB: Shalah hands_of,his on,allies_of,his violated covenant_of,his )

The expression unsheathed is a passive verbal form. If your language would not use that form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that would be natural in your language. Alternate translation: [were bare swords]