Jeremiah shows Yahweh's love for his people by speaking to them as a daughter. See how you translated a similar phrase in [Jeremiah 4:11](../04/11.md). Alternate translation: "My people, you who are like a daughter to me" or "My dear people" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])
People do these things to show that they are extremely sad. Alternate translation: "Show how sad you are by wearing sackcloth and rolling in ashes" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-symaction]])
People would wear sackcloth to show that they were very sad. In this context it would be to show that they were very sorry for the bad things they had done. The command "gird yourselves," which usually means "prepare for work" or "prepare for battle" is ironic: they are to prepare to mourn, not to work or fight. See how you translated similar words in [Jeremiah 4:8](../04/08.md). Alternate translation: "put on the clothes that show you are mourning" or "prepare to mourn" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-symaction]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-irony]])
Jeremiah compares the people's great sadness to the sadness that a mother feels if her only son dies. Alternate translation: "mourn with painful sobs as you would if your only son died" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile]])