OET interlinear ZEP 2:5

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

חֶ֥בֶל הַ⁠יָּ֖ם

region_of the=sea

Zephaniah is using this possessive form to describe a region that is along the coast of the sea. He means specifically the area along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea where the Philistines lived. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: “the seacoast”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כְּרֵתִ֑ים

Kərētī

The word Kerethites is another name for all or part of the people group also known as the Philistines. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use the name Philistines here in order to show that Zephaniah is addressing one people group, not two. Alternate translation: “the Philistines”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

דְּבַר־יְהוָ֣ה עֲלֵי⁠כֶ֗ם

word/matter_of YHWH against,you_all

Zephaniah is using the term word to mean what Yahweh has said by using words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Yahweh has spoken a message against you”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / apostrophe

עֲלֵי⁠כֶ֗ם כְּנַ֨עַן֙ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים

against,you_all Kanaan earth/land Pelishtim

Zephaniah is speaking to something that he knows cannot hear him, the land of Canaan, in order to show in a strong way how he feels about the people who live there. If a speaker in your language would not do that, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “is against you Philistines who live in the land of Canaan”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

עֲלֵי⁠כֶ֗ם

against,you_all

The word you is plural here because Zephaniah is implicitly speaking to the Philistines who live in the land of Canaan. However, since he is addressing that land directly, if you retain the direct-address form in your translation, it may be more natural in your language to use a singular form of “you.” (That would match the singular form of you in the quotation from Yahweh, “And I will destroy you,” which addresses Canaan as if that land were a person.)

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

וְ⁠הַאֲבַדְתִּ֖י⁠ךְ מֵ⁠אֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב

and,destroy,you until,there_is_no inhabitant

It may be more natural in your language to make this an indirect quotation. Alternate translation: “He has said that he will destroy you until there is no inhabitant”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / apostrophe

וְ⁠הַאֲבַדְתִּ֖י⁠ךְ מֵ⁠אֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב

and,destroy,you until,there_is_no inhabitant

As Zephaniah did, Yahweh is speaking to something that he knows cannot hear him, the land of Canaan, in order to show in a strong way how he feels about the people who live there. If a speaker in your language would not do that, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “And I will destroy you Philistines until none of you live in the land of Canaan any more”