# Why not? Because they

You can translate this rhetorical question as a statement and include the words from the ellipsis in your translation. Paul asks this question to get the attention of his readers. Alternate translation: "Why could they not attain righteousness? Because they" or "This is why they could not attain righteousness: they" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-ellipsis]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion]])

# by works

This refers to things that people do to try to please God. You can make this explicit in your translation. Alternate translation: "by trying to do things that would please God" or "by keeping the Law" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit]])