OET interlinear PSA 55:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מִ⁠קּ֤וֹל אוֹיֵ֗ב

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

David is not referring to a specific enemy. He means all of the enemies who are threatening him on this occasion, as his use of the plural pronoun they later in this verse indicates. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use an expression that would be more natural in your language. Alternate translation: [from the voice of my enemies]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

מִ⁠קּ֤וֹל אוֹיֵ֗ב

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

Here a person’s voice represents what he is saying by using his voice. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [because of what my enemies are saying]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

מִ⁠פְּנֵ֣י עָקַ֣ת רָשָׁ֑ע

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

David is using from the face of as a common expression of the culture to mean “because of” or “on account of.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [because of the oppression of the wicked]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

מִ⁠פְּנֵ֣י עָקַ֣ת רָשָׁ֑ע

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

David is using the adjective wicked 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: [because of the oppression of wicked people]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מִ⁠פְּנֵ֣י עָקַ֣ת רָשָׁ֑ע

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of oppression, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [because wicked people are oppressing me]

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

כִּי

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

Here the expression For introduces more detailed information about what David’s wicked enemies are doing. Use a connecting word or phrase in your language that will make this clear. It may not be necessary to represent this expression explicitly in your translation. Alternate translation: [You see,]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יָמִ֥יטוּ עָלַ֥⁠י אָ֝֗וֶן

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

David is speaking as if trouble were an object such as a large rock that his enemies could shake loose so that it would fall onto him. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation. You could also use plain language. Alternate translation: [they stir up trouble for me] or [they trouble me greatly]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וּ⁠בְ⁠אַ֥ף

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

Here the nose represents anger. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [and in anger]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

יִשְׂטְמֽוּ⁠נִי

(Some words not found in UHB: pay,attention to/for=me and,answer,me restless in,complaint_of,my and,I_am_distraught )

The verb that the ULT translates here as persecute means generally to “hold a grudge.” The focus in this context is not on an inner feeling of resentment but on a relentless attempt by someone holding a grudge to harm another person. If your language has a verb or phrase that describes this action, it would be appropriate to use it in your translation. Alternate translation: [they try relentlessly to harm me] or [they pursue a vendetta against me]