OET interlinear ZEP 2:14

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

בְ⁠תוֹכָ֤⁠הּ

in/on/at/with,midst_of,her

The possessive pronoun its refers to the city of Nineveh. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: “in the midst of Nineveh”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

כָּל־חַיְת⁠וֹ־ג֔וֹי

all/each/any/every wild_animal_of, herds

Zephaniah is not referring to a specific nation. He means nations in general. He is also saying every as a generalization for emphasis. It may be more natural in your language to express this meaning by using a plural form. It may also be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “They will be various kinds of herds, composed of the sorts of animals found in many different nations”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

גַּם־קָאַת֙ גַּם־קִפֹּ֔ד

also/yet wilderness_owl also/yet screech_owl

Zephaniah is not referring to a specific desert owl or screech owl. He means many individual birds of these types. It may be more natural in your language to express this meaning by using plural forms. Zephaniah may also be using these two types of desert bird to mean desert birds in general. Alternate translation: “Both desert owls and screech owls” or “Various desert birds”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בְּ⁠כַפְתֹּרֶ֖י⁠הָ יָלִ֑ינוּ

in/on/at/with,capitals_of,her lodge

The word translated columns refers specifically to the tops of columns, which often had ornate decorations. The implication is that an army will have destroyed the elaborate buildings of Nineveh so that only columns remain standing, and they are not supporting a roof, so their tops are exposed and provide a roosting place for birds. You could indicate that in your translation if it would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: “will roost on top of the exposed columns of its destroyed buildings”

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ק֠וֹל יְשׁוֹרֵ֤ר בַּֽ⁠חַלּוֹן֙ חֹ֣רֶב בַּ⁠סַּ֔ף כִּ֥י אַרְזָ֖ה עֵרָֽה

sound/voice hoot in/on/at/with,window rubble in/on/at/with,threshold that/for/because/then/when cedar_work laid_bare

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Zephaniah is describing how badly Nineveh will be destroyed by referring to the fact that the costly and elaborate cedar-work of its ornate buildings will be exposed to the elements. Alternate translation: “Because the city will be destroyed so thoroughly that the cedar-work will be bare, a call will hoot in the window; devastation will be in the threshold”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ק֠וֹל יְשׁוֹרֵ֤ר בַּֽ⁠חַלּוֹן֙

sound/voice hoot in/on/at/with,window

Zephaniah is speaking of a bird’s call as if it were a living thing that could hoot on its own. He is using the call of birds to represent the birds themselves. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Birds will hoot their calls in the windows”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חֹ֣רֶב בַּ⁠סַּ֔ף

rubble in/on/at/with,threshold

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of devastation, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “debris will block doorways”