# Yahweh will comfort Zion

The city of Zion, which is also called Jerusalem, here represents the people of Zion. Alternate translation: "Yahweh will comfort the people of Zion" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# he will comfort all her waste places

Here "waste places" represents the people who live in those desolate areas. Alternate translation: "he will comfort the people who live in all her waste places" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# her waste places ... her wilderness ... her desert plains

The word "her" refers to Zion. Cities are often spoken of as if they were women. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# waste places

places that have been destroyed

# her wilderness he made like Eden, and her desert plains ... like the garden of Yahweh

These phrases mean that God will make the empty places in Israel beautiful. In prophecy, events that will happen in the future are often described as being in the past. This emphasizes that they will certainly happen. Alternate translation: "he will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert plains ... like the garden of Yahweh (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-pastforfuture]])

# joy and gladness will be found in her

Joy and gladness mean the same thing. Being found there represents being there. Alternate translation: "there will be joy and gladness in Zion again" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])