In written communication, we often use things other than words and punctuation to communicate meaning. Sometimes we use the arrangement of the words to communicate meaning. One way we do this is with line breaks and indentation. When text is indented, it means that the line of text starts further to the right than the lines of text above and below it that are not indented. Translation teams will need to decide if they want to use line breaks and indentation to communicate meaning and how they want to use it.
### Verses or Paragraphs
Translation teams will need to decide whether to start each verse on a new line or to arrange the verses in paragraphs.
>1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
>2 The earth was without form and empty. Darkness was upon the surface of the deep. The Spirit of God was moving above the surface of the waters.
>3 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
>4 God saw the light, that it was good. He divided the light from the darkness.
>5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." This was evening and morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:1-5, ULB)
If teams decide to arrange the verses in paragraphs, they can use an empty line space to distinguish one paragraph from the next.
>1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and empty. Darkness was upon the surface of the deep. The Spirit of God was moving above the surface of the waters.
>
>3 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw the light, that it was good. He divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." This was evening and morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:1-5, ULB)
Alternatively, or in addition to the line space, the first line of each paragraph can be indented.
> 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and empty. Darkness was upon the surface of the deep. The Spirit of God was moving above the surface of the waters.
> 3 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw the light, that it was good. He divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." This was evening and morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:1-5, ULB)
### Poetry
Poetry does not have to be formatted in a special way. It can be formatted in the same way that other kinds of writing are formatted.
>1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2, ULB)
However phrases can be written on a separate line and indented to show that they are the completion of a thought in a previous line or that they are to to be contrasted with or compared to a thought in a previous line. For example, in verse 1 below, all three lines tell about things that a good person does not do. In verse 2 both lines describe the good person's attitude toward Yahweh's law.
>1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked,
> or stand in the pathway with sinners,
> or sit in the assembly of mockers.
>2 But his delight is in the law of Yahweh,
> and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2, ULB)
### Complicated Lists
Lists do not have to be formatted in a special way. They can be formatted in the same way that other kinds of information are formatted.
>5These are the names of the leaders who must fight with you: From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; 6from the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; 7from the tribe of Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; (Numbers 1:5-7 ULB)
However, in long or complicated lists, separate lines and indentation can be used to make the lists easier to understand.
>5These are the names of the leaders who must fight with you:
> From the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
> 6from the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
> 7from the tribe of Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; (Numbers 1:5-7 ULB)