4.2 KiB
General Information:
Nahum continues to speak to the people of Nineveh as though they were the city itself. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
All your fortresses
Possible meanings for the word "fortresses" are 1) it refers to Nineveh's fortifications, such as the wall that surrounded the city AT: "All of your fortifications" or "All of your defenses" or 2) it refers to the fortified cities that were situated along Assyria's borders and prevented enemy armies from attacking Nineveh. AT: "All of your fortified cities" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)
All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the earliest ripe figs: if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater
Nahum compares the ease with which the attackers will conquer Nineveh with the ease with which a person can cause ripe figs to fall from a tree. AT: "Your enemies will destroy your fortresses as easily as a person can shake a fig tree and eat the first ripe figs that fall" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile)
the earliest ripe figs
This refers to the figs that would ripen first on the tree. These figs fell from the tree easily, so that a person only had to shake the tree to make them fall. Figs that ripened later would require a person to climb the tree and pick them by hand. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)
if they are shaken
"if the trees are shaken." This can be stated in active form. AT: "if a person shakes the trees" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
they fall into the mouth of the eater
"the figs fall into the mouth of the eater." This is an exaggeration. By saying that the figs fall from the tree into the mouth of the one who eats it, Nahum emphasizes that the figs are ready to eat immediately. AT: "a person can eat the fig immediately" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole)
the people among you are women
In this ancient culture, women were not warriors for a number of reasons, including their being generally weaker physically than men. Here Nahum speaks of Nineveh's warriors losing their strength and courage to fight as if the people in the city were all women. AT: "your people are all like women who are weak and cannot defend themselves" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
the gates of your land have been opened wide to your enemies
This can be stated in active form. AT: "the gates of your land are wide open to your enemies" or "someone has opened wide to your enemies the gates of your land" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
the gates of your land have been opened wide to your enemies
Possible meanings are 1) if "fortresses" in v. 12 refers to the Nineveh's defenses, then "the gates of your land" refers to the gates in the walls around Nineveh. AT: "the gates of your city are wide open for your enemies to attack" or 2) if "fortresses" in v. 12 refers to the fortified cities that were situated along Assyria's borders, then "the gates of your land" is a metaphor in which those cities are spoken of as if they were gates that prevented enemy armies from entering the land. AT: "your land is defenseless before your enemies because they have destroyed the cities that protected your borders" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
fire has devoured their bars
Possible meanings are 1) if "fortresses" in v. 12 refers to the Nineveh's defenses, then "their bars" refers to the bars that locked the gates in the walls around Nineveh. AT: "fire has destroyed the bars that lock your city gates" or 2) if "fortresses" in v. 12 refers to the fortified cities that were situated along Assyria's borders, then "their bars" is a metaphor in which those cities are spoken of as if they were locked gates that prevented enemy armies from entering the land. AT: "the cities on your borders can no longer protect you, just as gates can no longer protect a city when fire has destroyed their bars" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
fire has devoured
Nahum speaks of fire burning up and destroying as if fire were eating. AT: "fire has destroyed" or "fire has burned up" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)