unfoldingWord_en_tn/jer/16/19.md

# Yahweh, you are my stronghold

Here Jeremiah begins speaking to Yahweh.

# my stronghold and my refuge, my place of safety

Jeremiah speaks of Yahweh as a place where enemies cannot attack him. He repeats the same idea three times. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]])

# The nations will go to you

Here the word "nations" represents the people from the nations. Alternate translation: "The people from the nations will go to you" or "The people of the nations will come to you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-go]])

# the ends of the earth

This is an idiom that means the farthest places on the earth. By referencing both ends, it refers to everywhere in between. Alternate translation: "the farthest places on the earth" or "everywhere on earth" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-merism]])

# our ancestors inherited deceit

Here the word "deceit" refers to false gods. Alternate translation: "our ancestors inherited nothing but false gods" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# They are empty; there is no profit in them

Here the words "They" and "them" refer to the false gods that the ancestors taught them to believe in. The two phrases mean basically the same thing, with the second explaining how they "are empty." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])