# His breath is like an overflowing torrent

This compares the air coming out of Yahweh's mouth to a flood to emphasize its power to destroy. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile]])

# to sift the nations with the sieve of worthlessness

Yahweh separating the people of the nations and destroying the wicked people is spoken of as if Yahweh puts the nations in a sieve. This can be translated as a new sentence. Alternate translation: "Yahweh will separate and destroy the wicked people of the nations" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# sieve of worthlessness

"sieve that gets rid of what is worthless." Many modern translations read, "sieve of destruction."

# His breath is a bridle in the jaws of the peoples to cause them to wander away

Yahweh having the power to cause people's plans to fail or causing them to be destroyed is spoken of as if his breath were a bridle that steers people off the correct path. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# a bridle in the jaws of the peoples

A "bridle" is a device that people put over a horse's head to guide it. The bridle contains a small piece called a "bit" that goes in the horse's mouth. Alternate translation: "a bridle on the heads of the peoples" or "a bit in the jaws of the peoples" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-unknown]])

