Can a maiden forget her ornaments…? is stated in more contemporary English in Good News Translation: “Does a young woman forget her jewelry…?” The word translated maiden (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible “girl”) is the same noun that appears in Zech 9.17. Obviously the meaning in the present context is “girl” or “young woman,” probably of marriageable age as the parallel bride suggests. The anticipated reply to the question is also obvious: “No, she does not forget….” Thus the question may be transformed into a strong affirmation: “A young woman would never forget….” Similarly, the next line could be “nor a bride her wedding garment.”

Attire (Good News Translation “wedding dress”; New International Version “wedding ornaments”) may refer to some sort of “sash” (New Jerusalem Bible), which was customarily worn by a bride (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the lovely sash of her wedding dress”). Since the exact nature of the item is not known, translators may use something quite general such as “wedding garment” or choose some interpretation such as “the decoration [or, sash] on her wedding robe.”

It is, of course, inconceivable that either of these two things would happen, yet the LORD’s people had constantly forgotten him. It is quite natural to use forgotten in most languages, but in some it may be better to say “put me out of their mind.”

Days without number: New English Bible translates “over and over again,” while Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “already for many, many years.” In Good News Translation the phrase appears as “for more days than can be counted.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .