unfoldingWord_en_tn/lam/04/09.md

# Those who have been killed by the sword

Here the "sword" represents an enemy's attack. It can be stated in active form. AT: "Those whom enemy soldiers have killed" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# those killed by hunger

Here "hunger" represents starvation. This can be stated in active form. AT: "those who starved to death" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# who wasted away

"who became extremely thin and weak"

# pierced by the lack of any harvest from the field

Here "harvest from the field" is a metonym that represents food to eat. Lack of food is spoken of here as if it were a sword that pierces people. AT: "who died because there was not enough food to eat" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# The hands of compassionate women

Here the women are represented by their "hands." Because they were so hungry, women who had been compassionate in the past were no longer compassionate toward their children; instead they boiled them for food. AT: "Compassionate women" or "Women who had been compassionate in the past" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])

# they became their food

"their children became the women's food"

# the daughter of my people was

This is a poetic name for Jerusalem, which is spoken of here as if it were a woman. See how you translated this in [Lamentations 2:11](../02/11.md). AT: "my people were" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/sword]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/compassion]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/children]]