OET interlinear ZEC 8:13

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וְ⁠הָיָ֡ה כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁר֩ הֱיִיתֶ֨ם קְלָלָ֜ה בַּ⁠גּוֹיִ֗ם בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ וּ⁠בֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֵּ֚ן אוֹשִׁ֣יעַ אֶתְ⁠כֶ֔ם וִ⁠הְיִיתֶ֖ם בְּרָכָ֑ה אַל תִּירָ֖אוּ תֶּחֱזַ֥קְנָה יְדֵי⁠כֶֽם

and=it_was (Some words not found in UHB: and=it_was just=as been curse among,nations house_of Yehuda and,the_house_of Yisrael yes/correct/thus/so save ,you(pl) and=you(pl)_will_be blessing not afraid strong hands_of,your(pl) )

The point of this comparison is that just as you were a curse in the nations was certainly true, so it will certainly be true that Yahweh will save them and they will be a blessing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [Just as it was certainly true that you were a curse among the nations, house of Judah and house of Israel, so it will certainly also be true that I save you and you will be a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הֱיִיתֶ֨ם קְלָלָ֜ה בַּ⁠גּוֹיִ֗ם

been curse among,nations

Yahweh is speaking of his people as if they were a curse, meaning that other nations would refer to them as an example of what it means to be cursed. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the other nations used you as an example of what it means to be cursed]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

קְלָלָ֜ה

curse

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of a curse, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [of people who were cursed]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ וּ⁠בֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

house_of Yehuda and,the_house_of Yisrael

Here, house means all the people descended from a particular person. It envisions them as if they were one household living together. So house of Judah figuratively means all the people descended from the patriarch Judah, and house of Israel means all the people descended from the patriarch Jacob, who was also known as Israel. Alternate translation: [people of Judah and people of Israel]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וִ⁠הְיִיתֶ֖ם בְּרָכָ֑ה

and=you(pl)_will_be blessing

Yahweh is speaking of his people as if they would actually become a blessing, meaning that other nations would refer to them as an example of what it means to be blessed. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and you will be an example of what it means to be blessed]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּרָכָ֑ה

blessing

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of a blessing, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [you will be blessed]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

אַל־תִּירָ֖אוּ תֶּחֱזַ֥קְנָה יְדֵי⁠כֶֽם

not afraid strong hands_of,your(pl)

Yahweh is using hands to represent the whole person and their courage to work. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Be strong and courageous]