OET interlinear ZEC 12:5

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠אָֽמְר֛וּ & בְּ⁠לִבָּ֑⁠ם

and,they_will_say & in,heart_of,their

Zechariah is using will say in their heart as a common expression of the culture to mean “will say to themselves” or “will think.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Then … will think to themselves]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

אַמְצָ֥ה לִ⁠י֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם בַּ⁠יהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵי⁠הֶֽם

strength to=me inhabitants_of (Some words not found in UHB: and,they_will_say clans_of Yehuda in,heart_of,their strength to=me inhabitants_of Yerushalayim by,Yahweh armies/messengers God_of,their )

The words that the chiefs of Judah say are a quotation within Yahweh’s quotation. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [that the dwellers of Jerusalem are strength for them through Yahweh of Armies their God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אַמְצָ֥ה לִ⁠י֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם

strength to=me inhabitants_of (Some words not found in UHB: and,they_will_say clans_of Yehuda in,heart_of,their strength to=me inhabitants_of Yerushalayim by,Yahweh armies/messengers God_of,their )

This could mean: (1) the people who live in Jerusalem are strong because Yahweh of Armies their God is with them or (2) the people who live in Jerusalem are a source of strength for the chiefs of Judah. You could make this information explicit if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [The dwellers of Jerusalem are a source of strength to me]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אַמְצָ֥ה לִ⁠י֙

strength to=me

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of strength, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [strengthen me]

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

לִ⁠י֙

to=me

The pronoun me is singular, referring to each chief of Judah individually, even though all the chiefs are speaking. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [to each of us]