Yahweh uses this word here to draw Jeremiah's attention to what he says next. AT: "Listen" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])
# to refine them
Yahweh speaks of testing the people and dealing with their evil ways, as if they were metal that he were melting in a crucible to remove its impurities. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# for what else can I do, because of what my people have done?
Yahweh uses this rhetorical question to state that this is how he needs to deal with his people because of what they have done. This question can be written as a statement. AT: "for this is how I must deal with my people because of what they have done." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
This speaks of people's tongues as if they were sharpened arrows because of how the people hurt others by what they say. Here their speech is represented by their "tongues." AT: "Their words are like sharpened arrows that hurt other people" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])
Here people's speech is represented by their "mouths." AT: "They speak, saying that they want peace with their neighbors" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])
Here a people's desires are represented by their "hearts." This speaks of them wanting to hurt their neighbors as if they were an animal crouching and waiting to attack its prey. AT: "but what they really want is to destroy their neighbors" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])
Yahweh uses this question to emphasize that the things that they are doing are so bad that he will not have mercy and stop himself from punishing them. See how you translated similar words in [Jeremiah 5:9](../05/07.md). AT: "Because they do these things, I will punish them ... I will certainly get revenge for myself against them." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in [Jeremiah 1:8](../01/07.md). AT: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]])
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