OET interlinear PSA 78:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-unknown

מַשְׂכִּ֗יל

(Some words not found in UHB: maskil of,Asaph give,ear_to my_people_of,my instruction_of,my incline ear_of,your(pl) to,the_words_of my_mouth_of,my )

The superscription to this psalm identifies it as a maskil. Since the meaning of this word is not certain, you may wish to represent it in its Hebrew form and spell it the way it sounds in your language. See the discussion of that term in the Introduction to Psalms.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

הַאֲזִ֣ינָ⁠ה עַ֭מִּ⁠י תּוֹרָתִ֑⁠י הַטּ֥וּ אָ֝זְנְ⁠כֶ֗ם לְ⁠אִמְרֵי־פִֽ⁠י

give,ear_to (Some words not found in UHB: maskil of,Asaph give,ear_to my_people_of,my instruction_of,my incline ear_of,your(pl) to,the_words_of my_mouth_of,my )

These two phrases 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. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Another approach would be to connect the phrases with a word that shows that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. See how your team has decided to translate parallel phrases in the Psalms and follow that approach here and throughout this psalm. Alternate translation: [Hear my teaching, my people; yes, listen to the words of my mouth]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

הַאֲזִ֣ינָ⁠ה & תּוֹרָתִ֑⁠י

give,ear_to & instruction_of,my

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of teaching, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [Listen to what I teach you]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

עַ֭מִּ⁠י

(Some words not found in UHB: maskil of,Asaph give,ear_to my_people_of,my instruction_of,my incline ear_of,your(pl) to,the_words_of my_mouth_of,my )

Asaph is using this possessive form my people to indicate that he is addressing the Israelites as a leader or teacher among them, not to indicate that they belong to him personally. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [fellow Israelites] or [people of Israel]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הַטּ֥וּ אָ֝זְנְ⁠כֶ֗ם

incline ear_of,your(pl)

Asaph is speaking of paying careful attention to his teaching as if his audience could physically incline their ears toward him in order to listen better. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [pay close attention] or [listen carefully]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לְ⁠אִמְרֵי־פִֽ⁠י

to,the_words_of my_mouth_of,my

Here, the words of my mouth represents what a person says. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [to what I say]