never let them come to harm at our hands..

[tzfujimino]

Hello, everyone!
I have two questions concerning the passage below.


These chimpanzees in a national park are lucky. It is not so good for those in other parts of Africa. In many places the forests where chimps once lived have been cut down for timber, or to make space for houses or crops. They are hunted for food in some places. Often mothers are shot and their infants are taken. These infants are sold for zoos and circuses, for pets, and for medical research. It is terrible, and some nights I cannot sleep for thinking of it all, and planning ways to try to help the chimpanzees.
But at least in Tanzania the chimpanzees are well protected. They have learned to trust us - and we must never let them come to harm at our hands.



1. They are hunted for food in some places.
Does it mean they hunt chimps for eating(to eat)? Well, I guess so...
Or...does it mean "They are hunted and sold away to get food they need to live"??(Well...I don't think so.)

2.we must never let them come to harm at our hands.
I'm not really sure what it means...Could anybody put it in another way?

Thank you in advance!

[bhaisahab]

1. They are hunted for food in some places.
Does it mean they hunt chimps for eating(to eat)? Well, I guess so.
Or...does it mean "They are hunted and sold away to get food they need to live"??(Well...I don't think so.)

2.we must never let them come to harm at our hands.
I'm not really sure what it means...Could anybody put it in another way?

To put it very simply. We must never hurt them/cause them harm.

[riverkid]

Hello, everyone!
I have two questions concerning the passage below.


These chimpanzees in a national park are lucky. It is not so good for those in other parts of Africa. In many places the forests where chimps once lived have been cut down for timber, or to make space for houses or crops. They are hunted for food in some places. Often mothers are shot and their infants are taken. These infants are sold for zoos and circuses, for pets, and for medical research. It is terrible, and some nights I cannot sleep for thinking of it all, and planning ways to try to help the chimpanzees.
But at least in Tanzania the chimpanzees are well protected. They have learned to trust us - and we must never let them come to harm at our hands.



1. They are hunted for food in some places.
Does it mean they hunt chimps for eating(to eat)? Well, I guess so...
Or...does it mean "They are hunted and sold away to get food they need to live"??(Well...I don't think so.)

You were right the first time, T.

2.we must never let them come to harm at our hands.
I'm not really sure what it means...Could anybody put it in another way?

Thank you in advance!

Because of the way these animals have learned to trust "us", we have to take great effort to ensure that they aren't harmed because if they were it would be "our" fault.

[tzfujimino]

1. They are hunted for food in some places.
Does it mean they hunt chimps for eating(to eat)? Well, I guess so.
Or...does it mean "They are hunted and sold away to get food they need to live"??(Well...I don't think so.)

2.we must never let them come to harm at our hands.
I'm not really sure what it means...Could anybody put it in another way?

To put it very simply. We must never hurt them/cause them harm.

Thank you, bhaisahab!
I've got the idea!
At first...I took it as..."We must never let them come to harm us."
I wasn't able to grasp the meaning of.."at our hands."

[tzfujimino]

Because of the way these animals have learned to trust "us", we have to take great effort to ensure that they aren't harmed because if they were it would be "our" fault.

Thank you, riverkid(kappa)!
So...you mean.."We must never let them come to the point where we do harm to them(chimps). "harm" here is used as a noun, and not a verb? Am I correct in saying this?

[tzfujimino]

Thank you, riverkid(kappa)!
So...you mean.."We must never let them come to the point where we do harm to them(chimps). "harm" here is used as a noun, and not a verb? Am I correct in saying this?

Am I correct?

"come to harm at our hands"

Is "harm" here a noun or a verb?
Is it an idiomatic expression?

Thank you!

[bhaisahab]

In the phrases "come to harm" and "cause them harm", "harm" is indeed being used as a noun.

[tzfujimino]

In the phrases "come to harm" and "cause them harm", "harm" is indeed being used as a noun.

Thank you, bhaisahab. You've saved my life.
Actually I'm going to use it in the next English class.
I have to explain it to my students.

What about...'at our hands'?
Is it equal to...'with our (own) hands'?

[bhaisahab]

Thank you, bhaisahab. You've saved my life.
Actually I'm going to use it in the next English class.
I have to explain it to my students.

What about...'at our hands'?
Is it equal to...'with our (own) hands'?

"At our hands" means "caused by us", "hands" is being used figuratively rather than literally.

[tzfujimino]

"At our hands" means "caused by us", "hands" is being used figuratively rather than literally.

Thank you, bhaisahab!
I'll never forget your kindness forever!