# She has become unclean beneath her skirts According to the law of Moses, a woman was considered unclean during her monthly bleeding. This speaks of Jerusalem being unclean, as if it were a menstruating woman. Alternate translation: "Jerusalem has become unclean, as when a woman is unclean beneath her skirts" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]]) # unclean A person who God considers to be spiritually unacceptable or defiled is spoken of as if the person were physically unclean. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]]) # Her fall was astonishing The phrase "her fall" is an metaphor for the city being destroyed. Alternate translation: "Those who saw how she was destroyed were astonished" or "Those who saw how the city was destroyed were astonished" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom]]) # astonishing Usually this word refers to a miracle that helps people, but here it refers to an event that no one thought could happen, but that has been so harmful that people have a hard time believing what they see. # Look at my affliction, Yahweh Possible meanings are that 1) the author of Lamentations now talks directly to Yahweh or 2) Jerusalem is described as talking to Yahweh like a person. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification]]) # Look at "Pay attention to" # the enemy has become too great This means that they enemy army has become too large and powerful and has defeated Jerusalem. Alternate translation: "the enemy army has defeated me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit]])