OET interlinear ZEP 1:6

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

וְ⁠אֶת־הַ⁠נְּסוֹגִ֖ים מֵ⁠אַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַ⁠אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וְ⁠לֹ֥א דְרָשֻֽׁ⁠הוּ

and=DOM the,turned_back from,following YHWH and=which not seek DOM YHWH and=not inquired_of,him

Yahweh is speaking about himself in the third person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this in the first person. Alternate translation: “and the ones turning back from after me, and who do not search for me and do not seek me”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠אֶת־הַ⁠נְּסוֹגִ֖ים מֵ⁠אַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַ⁠אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וְ⁠לֹ֥א דְרָשֻֽׁ⁠הוּ

and=DOM the,turned_back from,following YHWH and=which not seek DOM YHWH and=not inquired_of,him

Yahweh is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. This could be describing: (1) two groups, people who are no longer actively worshiping Yahweh and people who still worship Yahweh formally but who do not relate to him actively as their God. Alternate translation: “and I will destroy those who have stopped worshiping me actively, and I will destroy those who still worship me formally but do not relate to me actively as their God” (2) one group, people who show that they are no longer worshiping Yahweh by the way they no longer relate to him actively as their God. Alternate translation: “and I will destroy those who show they have stopped worshiping me by the way they no longer relate to me actively as their God”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠אֶת־הַ⁠נְּסוֹגִ֖ים מֵ⁠אַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה

and=DOM the,turned_back from,following YHWH

Yahweh is speaking as if the Judeans who are ceasing to worship him were literally walking on a path and turning back from the direction in which they had been heading. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and I will destroy the ones who have stopped worshiping me”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

וַ⁠אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וְ⁠לֹ֥א דְרָשֻֽׁ⁠הוּ

and=which not seek DOM YHWH and=not inquired_of,him

Yahweh could be using the expressions search for and seek to mean: (1) two similar things. He could be speaking as if the Judeans should literally have been looking for him, meaning that they should have been praying to him. In this case Yahweh would be using two similar terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase Alternate translation: “and I will destroy the ones who no longer pray to me at all” (2) two different things. The expression search for could mean to ask for help, and the expression seek could mean to ask for guidance. Alternate translation: “and I will destroy those who no longer ask for my help or guidance”