2.3 KiB
General Information:
In these verse, Jeremiah speaks to Yahweh about his suffering, and Yahweh answers him.
Woe to me, my mother
Jeremiah pretends to speak to his mother as a way to emphasize how sad he is. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-apostrophe)
a man of controversy and argument
The words "controversy" and "argument" mean basically the same thing. Together they emphasize how much Jeremiah is arguing. AT: "a man with whom everyone argues all the time" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet)
I have not lent, nor has anyone lent to me
This refers to lending money to people. Often lending money causes people to fight with one another. AT: "I have not lent money to anyone, nor has anyone lent money to me" or "I have not made anyone angry by lending or borrow money and then quarreling about it" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)
Will I not rescue you for good?
The implicit answer to this rhetorical question is "yes." This question can be written as a statement. AT: "I will certainly rescue you for good!" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
your enemies
Those are the enemies of Jeremiah who disagreed with his prophecies.
in the time of calamity and distress
Here the words "calamity" and "distress" mean basically the same thing. They emphasize the amount or intensity of the calamity. AT: "in the time of great calamity" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet)
Can one smash iron? Especially iron from the north that is mixed with bronze?
In these questions Yahweh speaks of the strength of Judah's enemies as if they were iron mixed with bronze. These rhetorical questions can be written as a statement. AT: "No one can smash iron, especially if it is as strong as the iron from the north that is mixed with bronze." or "But Judah's enemies, who are as strong as iron or bronze, will attack Judah from the north, no one will be able to stop them" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)