Can someone help me correct this sql statement in a jsp page?

Question

ive been getting the java.sql.SQLException: Incorrect syntax error for one of my sql nested statements. i cant seem to find similar egs online, so reckon if anyone here could help, really appreciate it.
as im putting the nested sql in jsp page, it has to be with lots of " " n crap. very confusing if there are nested.
heres the sql statement without those "" that i want to use:
select top 5 * from(
select top+"'"+offset+"'"+" * from prod where cat=" +"'" cat "'"+"
)order by prodID desc
when i put this in my jsp pg, i had to add "" to become:
String sql = "select top 5 * from("+"select top"+"'"+offset+"'"+" * from prod where cat=" +"'" +cat+ "'"+")order by prodID desc";cat=" +"'" cat "'"+")order by prodID desc";
all those "" are confusing me to no end, so i cant figure out what should be the correct syntax. the error says the syntax error is near the offset.

Answer 1

If offset is, say, 10, and cat is, say, "new", then it looks like you're going to produce the SQL:
select top 5 * from(
  select top '10' * from prod where cat='new'
)order by prodID descThat looks exactly like incorrect syntax to me... top almost certainly can't handle a string literal as its operand... you almost certainly would want "top 10" instead of "top '10'"...
If you use PreparedStatement, you don't have to remember what you quote and what you don't and you can have your SQL in a single static final string to boot...