God uses this question to rebuke the people of Israel for accusing him of doing wrong. AT: "Israel, you claim that I was wrong when I did not rescue you when you called on me, even though you continue to sin against me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in [Jeremiah 1:8](../01/07.md). AT: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]])
# They would not accept discipline
Here "accept discipline" represents learning from discipline. AT: "They refused to learn from discipline" or "When I disciplined them, they refused to learn to obey me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# Your sword has devoured your prophets like a destructive lion
God speaks of the people of Israel killing the prophets as if their sword were a lion that ate the prophets. AT: "You have killed the prophets brutally with your sword like a destructive lion" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# You who belong to this generation! Pay attention to my word, the word of Yahweh
The phrase "this generation" refers to the people who lived when Jeremiah lived. AT: "You who live today, pay attention to what I, Yahweh, say to you"
# Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of deep darkness?
Here "a wilderness" and "a land of deep darkness" are metaphors for danger. God uses this question to rebuke the Israelites for behaving as though he had been dangerous. AT: "You act as though I have been like a wilderness or a land of deep darkness to you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
# Why would my people say, 'Let us wander around, we will not go to you anymore'?
God uses this question to rebuke his people for saying this. AT: "You my people say 'We can go where we want to go and not worship Yahweh anymore.'" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
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