A calf is a young cow. People would give one of their calves special food so that it would grow well, and then when they wanted to have a special feast, they would eat that calf. AT: "the best calf" or "the young animal we have been making fat" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
The implied information that they were to cook the meat can be made explicit. AT: "kill it and cook it" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
This metaphor speaks of the son being gone as if he was dead. AT: "it is as if my son was dead and became alive again" or "I felt like my son had died, but he is now alive" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
This metaphor speaks of the son being gone as if he was lost. AT: "It is as if my son was lost and now I found him" or "My son was lost and has returned home" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])