en_tn/jer/12/04.md

# How long will the land mourn and the grass in the field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals ... away, because

Some modern translations read, "How long will the land mourn and the grass in the field be withered because those who live in it are wicked? the animals ... away, because." The words "because those who live in it are wicked" can be understood to explain either why the land and grass have dried up or why the animals and birds have died or both. Because the writer is not looking for an answer to his question, some versions change the order of the clauses and remove the rhetorical question. Alternate translation: "Because those who live in the land are wicked, the land is mourns and the grass in the field is withered and the animals ... away. This is because." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion]])

# How long will the land mourn

Possible meanings are 1) this is a metaphor for the land being parched, so dry that nothing will grow. Alternate translation: "How long will the land be parched" Or 2) this is a metonym for the people who live in the land mourning because there is nothing to eat. Alternate translation: "How long will the people in the land mourn" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy]])

# withered

dried up and so dead

# the animals and the birds have been swept away

This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "The animals and the birds are gone" or "The animals and the birds have all died" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive]])

# He will not see what happens to us

Possible meanings are 1) The people are saying that God does not know what things will happen to them in their future or 2) God is unaware of their sin. Alternate translation: "God does not see the sinful things that we do"