en_tn_condensed/lam/04/01.md

# General Information:

A new poem begins. See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-poetry]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]].

# The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed

The people of Jerusalem are spoken of as if they were gold that is no longer shiny, and therefore no longer valuable. AT: "The people of Jerusalem are like gold that is no longer shiny. They are like pure gold that is no longer beautiful" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# how the purest gold has changed

This is an exclamation that shows the author's sadness that this has happened. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamations]])

# The holy stones are scattered at the corner of every street

This may refer to the temple being destroyed and its stones scattered throughout the city. It may also be a metaphor for the people being scattered. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# at the corner of every street

"wherever the streets come together" or "by all the roads"

# sons of Zion

Here people of a city are spoken of as if they were the sons of the city. Possible meanings are 1) this refers to only the young men of Jerusalem or 2) this refers to all the people of Jerusalem. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# they are worth no more than clay jars, the work of the potter's hands

The author speaks of the precious sons of Zion as if they were considered to be inexpensive clay jars. AT: "people consider them to be as worthless as the clay jars that potters make" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/purify]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/gold]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/holy]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/zion]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/precious]]