en_tn_condensed/lam/03/01.md

# Connecting Statement:

A new poem begins. Here the author speaks of the sufferings that his people experienced. He speaks about them as if God had personally attacked only him. However, the writer intends to speak for everyone in the city. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])

# who has seen misery

Here "has seen" represents has experienced. AT: "who has experienced misery" or "who has suffered" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# under the rod of Yahweh's fury

Being "under the rod" represents being beaten with a rod. The author speaks of God's punishment as if God had beaten him with a rod. AT: "because Yahweh was very angry and has beaten me with a rod" or "because Yahweh was very angry and has punished me severely" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# He drove me away

"He forced me to go away"

# caused me to walk in darkness rather than light

Here "darkness" represents suffering. AT: "caused me to suffer terribly with no hope, like a person walking in darkness rather than light" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# he turned his hand against me

Here "turned his hand against me" represents attacking him. The author speaks of God causing bad things to happen to him as if God had attacked him. AT: "he has attacked me" or "he has caused many bad things to happen to me, like someone who attacks a person" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# He made my flesh and my skin waste away; he broke my bones

Possible meanings are 1) these things are a result of being beaten or 2) these are more ways that God punished the man.