Possible meanings of "the rustling of wings" are 1) the boats that have sails are spoken of as having wings. AT: "Woe to those who live in the land beyond the rivers of Cush, whose many ships look like insects on the water" or 2) the rustling of wings refers to the noise of insects that have wings, perhaps locusts. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
The Nile River was very wide, and people in Egypt and Cush referred to it as "the sea." AT: "on the great river" or "along the Nile River" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
Papyrus is a tall plant that grows along the side of the Nile River. People bound together papyrus bundles to make boats. AT: "papyrus boats" or "boats made of reeds" or (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]])
# a nation tall and smooth ... a people feared far and near ... a nation strong and trampling down, whose land the rivers divide
These phrases all describe the people of one nation.
# a nation tall and smooth
The word "nation" here refers to the people of that nation. AT: "a nation whose people are tall and have smooth skin" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])
# a people feared far and near
The words "far" and "near" are used together to mean "everywhere." AT: "a people who are feared everywhere" or "a people that everyone in the earth fears" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-merism]])
# a nation strong and trampling down
Trampling down represents conquering other nations. AT: "a nation that is strong and conquers other nations" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])
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