en_tn_lite_do_not_use/lam/04/09.md

Those killed by the sword

Here the "sword" represents an enemy's attack. It can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Those whom enemy soldiers have killed" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

are better than

"are happier than" or "do not suffer as much as"

those killed by hunger

Here "hunger" represents starvation. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "those who starved to death" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymyand rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

who wasted away

"who became extremely thin and weak"

pierced by the lack of any harvest from the field

Here "harvest from the field" is a metonym that represents food to eat. Lack of food is spoken of here as if it were a sword that pierces people. Alternate translation: "who died because there was not enough food to eat" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)