InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEUT JOB YEHO (JOS) HERO (JDG) RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG YOEL (JOEL) MIC ISA ZEP HAB YIR (JER) LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBAD DAN EZEK EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL 2 PS WIS TOB MAN BAR G DAN G ESD L ESD ESG JDT 3 MAC SIR 1 MAC 2 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL LAOD PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
InterlinearVerse 2 Sam C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24
2 Sam 9 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13
OET-LV And_he_bowed_down and_he/it_said what servant_of_is_your that/for/because/then/when you_have_turned to the_dog (the)_dead who is_like_me.
OET (OET-RV) Mefiboshet bowed low and asked, “Your servant’s nothing more than a dead dog. Why would you care about me?”
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
מֶ֣ה עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י פָנִ֔יתָ אֶל־הַכֶּ֥לֶב הַמֵּ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֽוֹנִי
what? (Some words not found in UHB: and,he_bowed_down and=he/it_said what? servant_of,[is]_your that/for/because/then/when look to/towards the,dog (the),dead which/who [is]_like,me )
Mephibosheth is using the question form to express humility and to emphasize that he does not deserve such kindness. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [Your servant is not anyone important, that you should turn to a dead dog that is like me!]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
כִּ֣י פָנִ֔יתָ אֶל
(Some words not found in UHB: and,he_bowed_down and=he/it_said what? servant_of,[is]_your that/for/because/then/when look to/towards the,dog (the),dead which/who [is]_like,me )
Mephibosheth is speaking as if David would physically turn toward him. In this context, turn to represents “show regard for” or “show kindness to.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [that you should show any regard for]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
הַכֶּ֥לֶב הַמֵּ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּמֽוֹנִי
(Some words not found in UHB: and,he_bowed_down and=he/it_said what? servant_of,[is]_your that/for/because/then/when look to/towards the,dog (the),dead which/who [is]_like,me )
Mephibosheth is speaking as if he were actually a dead dog. In this culture, dogs were wild, and they were considered dirty and regarded with contempt. Moreover, a dead dog would be powerless. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. If you have already translated the book of 1 Samuel, see how you translated the similar expression in 1 Samuel 24:14. Alternate translation: [someone like me who is powerless and whom people regard with contempt]
OET-LV And_he_bowed_down and_he/it_said what servant_of_is_your that/for/because/then/when you_have_turned to the_dog (the)_dead who is_like_me.
OET (OET-RV) Mefiboshet bowed low and asked, “Your servant’s nothing more than a dead dog. Why would you care about me?”
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.