OET interlinear ROM 12:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-quotations

ἀλλὰ

but

But here indicates that what follows is a quotation from an Old Testament book (Proverbs 25:21–22). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase that indicates that Paul is quoting from an important text. Alternate translation: “But, God says in the Scriptures,”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks

ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν; ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν; τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν, ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.

if /may_be/_hungering the enemy ˱of˲_you /be/_feeding him if ˱he˲_/may_be/_thirsting /be/_giving_to_drink him this for doing charcoal ˱of˲_fire ˱you˲_/will_be/_heaping on the head ˱of˲_him

This sentence is a quotation of Proverbs 25:21–22. It may be helpful to your readers to indicate this by setting off all of this material with quotation marks or with whatever punctuation or convention your language uses to indicate a quotation.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

ὁ ἐχθρός σου & σωρεύσεις

the enemy ˱of˲_you & ˱you˲_/will_be/_heaping

Here the pronouns your and you are singular and addressed as though to one person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use plural forms here.

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

for

For indicates that what follows this word explains what came before it. Here, For indicates that what follows is the reason why what was said in the previous sentence is true. Use a natural way in your language for indicating a reason. Alternate translation: “This is due to the fact that”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ

charcoal ˱of˲_fire ˱you˲_/will_be/_heaping on the head ˱of˲_him

This clause is an idiom. It could refer to: (1) a person feeling shame as a result of being helped by someone whom that person had harmed. Alternate translation: “you will make the person who harmed you feel badly about how he has mistreated you” (2) God very severely punishing the person who is being helped. Alternate translation: “you will give God a reason to judge him more harshly”