en_tn/psa/018/004.md

# The cords of death surrounded me

David speaks of death as if it were a person who could capture him and bind him with ropes. AT: "I was about to be killed" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# rushing waters of worthlessness

David is as helpless as if he were being carried away by a rushing flood of waters. AT: "I felt completely helpless" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death trapped me

Here "Sheol," the place of the dead, and "death" are spoken of as if they were people who could surround and trap him. These two clauses have similar meanings and the idea is repeated for emphasis. AT: "I felt trapped and thought I was going to die" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/death]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/water]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/hades]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/snare]]