OET interlinear ZEP 3:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

בַּ⁠יּ֣וֹם הַ⁠ה֔וּא

in_the=day (the)=that

Zephaniah is using the term day to refer to a specific time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “At that time”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

יֵאָמֵ֥ר

said

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Some languages might use an indefinite pronoun. Alternate translation: “they will say”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

לִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אַל־תִּירָ֑אִי צִיּ֖וֹן אַל־יִרְפּ֥וּ יָדָֽיִ⁠ךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=day (the)=that said to,Jerusalem not fear Tsiyyōn/(Zion) not grow_weak hands_of,your )

The word your and the implied “you” in the imperative Do not fear are singular here because they are addressing Zion as an individual. However, the implied “you” in the imperative Do not slacken is plural because it envisions Zion as a group consisting of a number of individuals. You may have decided to use plural forms in verses 16–19. Alternate translation, using plural forms: “to the people of Jerusalem, ‘Do not fear, you people of Zion! None of you slacken your hands’”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

אַל־תִּירָ֑אִי צִיּ֖וֹן אַל־יִרְפּ֥וּ יָדָֽיִ⁠ךְ

not fear Tsiyyōn/(Zion) not grow_weak hands_of,your

These two phrases mean similar things. The people who are speaking to Zion are using repetition to emphasize the idea that the phrases express. (They are referring to the way that a person’s hands slacken or become limp when that person is afraid.) If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “There is no reason for you to become weak with fear, Zion”