3.1 KiB
General Information:
Yahweh continues to speak.
For wicked men are found with my people
This can be stated in active form. AT: "For I have found wicked men among my people" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
They watch as someone crouches to capture birds
God speaks of wicked people wanting to harm someone as if they were waiting to capture birds. AT: "Like someone hiding and waiting to capture birds" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile)
they set a trap and catch people
God speaks of wicked people intentionally harming others as if they were setting a trap. AT: "They set things up so that they can take advantage of people" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of deceit
Here "deceit" represents the things that were taken by deceit. AT: Like a cage full of birds that a hunter has caught, wicked people's houses are full of things that they have taken by deceiving people (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
they grow large and become rich
Here "large" represents powerful. AT: "these wicked people become powerful and rich" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
they shine with well-being
Possible meanings are 1) their skin shines because of the healthy food they eat, or 2) their body is smooth because of the muscle and fat between their bones and skin. It indicates that they eat well.
They crossed over all bounds of wickedness
Doing all kinds of wicked things is spoken of as if there were a boundary separating some wicked things from things that are even more wicked. AT: "They do all kinds of wicked things" or "They even do the most wicked things" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
They do not plead the cause of the people, or the cause of the orphan
"They do not plead with the rulers to give the people and the orphans what they need" or "They do not plead with the rulers to give justice to the people and the orphans"
they have not given justice to the needy
"they have not helped the needy by doing what is just for them"
Should I not punish ... a nation like this?
Yahweh uses this question to emphasize that the things that they are doing are so bad that he will no have mercy but will punish them. See how you translated a similar sentence in Jeremiah 5:9. AT: "So I will punish them, this is Yahweh's declaration. I will certainly get revenge for myself against them."(See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
this is Yahweh's declaration
Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 1:8. AT: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person)