en_tn_lite_do_not_use/lam/02/08.md

Yahweh decided to destroy the city wall

Yahweh chose to have the wall destroyed and caused Jerusalem's enemy to destroy it. He did not destroy it himself. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)

daughter of Zion

This is a poetic name for Jerusalem, which is spoken of here as if it were a woman. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)

He has stretched out the measuring line

This speaks of preparing to destroy the wall as if he measured it before he destroyed it, so that he knew how much to destroy. Alternate translation: "It is as though he has measured the wall" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

has not withheld his hand from destroying

The double negative here emphasizes the positive. Also, the word "hand" is a synecdoche for Yahweh himself. Alternate translation: "has used his hand to completely destroy" or "has himself completely destroyed" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublenegatives and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)

He has made the ramparts and wall to lament; together they wasted away

The walls and ramparts are spoken of as if they were people who lamented and died. Alternate translation: "Because he has destroyed the ramparts and walls, they are like people who lament and have lost their strength" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)

ramparts

Ancient cities had a main "wall" to keep attackers out, and an outer line of "ramparts" to keep attackers from the wall.