OET interlinear SNG 4:10

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

מַה & מַה

what? & what?

Here the word How is used as an exclamation to emphasize two statements about how wonderful the woman’s love is. Use an exclamation that would communicate that meaning in your language.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אֲחֹתִ֣⁠י

my_sister_of,O

See how you translated the phrase my sister in [4:9](../04/09.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

מַה־יָּפ֥וּ דֹדַ֖יִ⁠ךְ אֲחֹתִ֣⁠י כַלָּ֑ה מַה־טֹּ֤בוּ דֹדַ֨יִ⁠ךְ֙ מִ⁠יַּ֔יִן

what? beautiful love(s)_of,your my_sister_of,O bride what? better love(s)_of,your more,than_wine

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [My sister, my bride; how your love is beautiful! How your love is better than wine]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מַה־יָּפ֥וּ דֹדַ֖יִ⁠ךְ & מַה־טֹּ֤בוּ דֹדַ֨יִ⁠ךְ֙ מִ⁠יַּ֔יִן

what? beautiful love(s)_of,your & what? better love(s)_of,your more,than_wine

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of love, you could express the same idea in another way.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

שְׁמָנַ֖יִ⁠ךְ

your(pl)_oils_of,of

Here, oils refers to perfumes. In the author’s culture, pleasant-smelling spices were mixed into olive oil in order to make perfume which was put on the skin. You could include this information if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [your scented oils are better] or [the perfumed oils on your skin are better]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

שְׁמָנַ֖יִ⁠ךְ

your(pl)_oils_of,of

The writer is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply the words is better from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language.