Live by the sword
Forced to fight for his life. Or: Engaged in battles as a way of life.
("By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless, you shall break his yoke from off your neck" - Genesis 27:40, Jacob to Esau)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
חַי עַל חַרְבּוֹ
Definition (Hebrew)
נֵאָלֵץ לְהִילָּחֵם עַל חַיָּיו. אוֹ: עָסוּק בְּמִלְחָמוֹת כְּדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים.
("וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה וְאֶת אָחִיךָ תַּעֲבֹד וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר תָּרִיד וּפָרַקְתָּ עֻלּוֹ מֵעַל צַוָּארֶךָ"- בְּרֵאשִׁית כז מ, יַעֲקֹב לְעֵשָׂו)