OET interlinear PSA 57:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

נַפְשִׁ֤⁠י ׀ בְּ⁠ת֥וֹךְ לְבָאִם֮

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

David is using one part of himself, his soul or inner being, to mean all of him in the situation of being in the midst of lions. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [I am in the midst of lions]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

נַפְשִׁ֤⁠י ׀ בְּ⁠ת֥וֹךְ לְבָאִם֮

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

The word that the ULT translates as soul can also mean “life.” The original audience would have heard both nuances. The implication is that David’s life is in danger, that is, he is in danger of being killed. Alternate translation: [My life is in danger because I am in the midst of lions]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נַפְשִׁ֤⁠י ׀ בְּ⁠ת֥וֹךְ לְבָאִם֮

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

David is speaking as if he were actually surrounded by lions. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this image as a comparison. Alternate translation: [I am in the midst of men who are as dangerous as lions]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

אֶשְׁכְּבָ֪ה לֹ֫הֲטִ֥ים בְּֽנֵי־אָדָ֗ם

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

By putting the phrase sons of man right after blazing ones, David is indicating that he is making a comparison between these people and things that are blazing and set other things on fire. The point of this comparison is that just as fire is destructive, so these people are trying to destroy him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [I must lie down among people who are trying to destroy me]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

בְּֽנֵי־אָדָ֗ם

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

David is using sons of man as a common expression of his culture to mean “human beings.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [human beings]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שִׁ֭נֵּי⁠הֶם חֲנִ֣ית וְ⁠חִצִּ֑ים וּ֝⁠לְשׁוֹנָ֗⁠ם חֶ֣רֶב חַדָּֽה

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

David is using the teeth and tongue of these men to represent them speaking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [Their speech is a spear and arrows; yes, what they say is a sharp sword]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שִׁ֭נֵּי⁠הֶם חֲנִ֣ית וְ⁠חִצִּ֑ים וּ֝⁠לְשׁוֹנָ֗⁠ם חֶ֣רֶב חַדָּֽה

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

David is speaking as if what these men say with their teeth and tongue were actually a spear and arrows and a sharp sword. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this image as a comparison. Alternate translation: [What they say about me is as dangerous as a spear or arrows or a sharp sword]

Note 8 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

וּ֝⁠לְשׁוֹנָ֗⁠ם חֶ֣רֶב חַדָּֽה

(Some words not found in UHB: he/it_will_send_out/away from,heaven and,he,will_save_me put_to_shame [the_of,one_who]_tramples_on_me selah he/it_will_send_out/away ʼElohīm loyalty_of,his_covenant and,faithfulness_of,his )

Here the word tongue is singular in form, but it refers to the tongues of all of David’s enemies as a group. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use the plural form of “tongue.” Alternate translation: [and their tongues are sharp swords]