4:3a

Therefore: In Hebrew, this phrase introduces the result of something that was said previously. The meaning here is that because of all the sins mentioned in 4:1–2, the land mourns.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

And so (Good News Translation)
-or-
This is why (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Therefore (New American Standard Bible)

the land mourns: There are two ways to interpret this clause:

(1) The land of Israel is undergoing drought. The word land is literal and refers to the land of Israel. The word “mourn” is figurative and refers to drought. For example:

And so the land will dry up (Good News Translation)

(Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, God’s Word, New Century Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, Revised English Bible)

(2) The people of Israel are mourning. The word land is figurative and refers to the people living in the land of Israel. The word “mourn” is literal and refers to people mourning. For example:

This is why the country is in mourning (New Jerusalem Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. It better fits the following context that describes animals dying. Drought is a logical cause of their death.

The Hebrew form of the verb “mourn” (the imperfect) can indicate either present or future. So there are two ways to interpret this verse:

(1) It refers to the future. This is an announcement of future judgment. The imperfect tense indicates that the mourning had not yet begun. For example:

And so the land will dry up (Good News Translation)

(2) It refers to the present. The imperfect tense indicates that the mourning was already occurring at that time. For example:

Therefore the land mourns (New Revised Standard Version)

The majority of versions use present tense here. However, interpretation (1) is recommended. This interpretation is supported by the occurrence of the same pattern elsewhere.

In some languages, the verbs have either past or nonpast tense. Nonpast verbs refer to either present or future, as in Hebrew. If that is true in your language, a nonpast verb would be appropriate here.

4:3b

and all who dwell in it will waste away: In Hebrew, a preposition that is attached to each group of animals in 4:3c indicates that all the animals will waste away along with the people. English versions make this clear in different ways:

• Use a word or phrase such as “with,” “together with,” or “even.” The Berean Standard Bible and others do this. For example:

all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals… (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
…everyone is wasting away. Even the wild animals…are disappearing. (New Living Translation (2004))

• Use the same word, such as “die” for both people and animals. For example:

…everything that lives on it will die. All the animals…will die. (Good News Translation)

• Combine the terms in 4:3b–c. For example:

Every living creature is dying—people and wild animals, birds and fish. (Contemporary English Version)

Use a natural way in your language to make it clear that both people and animals are included in this judgment.

waste away: Versions translate this term in two main ways:

• To become weak and exhausted. This is the literal meaning of the term. For example:

will languish (Revised English Bible)

• To die. This Hebrew term probably refers to weakness that results in death. Some versions make this result explicit. For example:

will die (Good News Translation)

Either option is acceptable.

4:3c

with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear: These three types of animals, beasts, birds, and fish, are listed together to emphasize the animals that live in the three large regions of the earth—the land, the air, and the water. This list of three types of animals is probably a figure of speech (synecdoche) that represents all animals.

the beasts of the field: This phrase usually refers to untamed animals. However, in this context, it may refer to all animals that live on the land.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

wild animals (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
animals (Good News Translation)

the birds of the air: As in 2:18a the phrase of the air may be redundant. So some English versions leave the words of the air implied. For example:

birds (God’s Word)

the fish of the sea: In Hebrew, a word that some versions translate as “even” precedes the phrase fish of the sea. This word emphasizes the great extent of the drought. It will be so severe that even bodies of water will dry up. As a result, the fish in them will die. Some versions do not include this emphasis. Others do include it. For example:

even the fish in the sea will perish. (NET Bible)

It is recommended that you include this emphasis in your translation.

The Hebrew word translated as sea sometimes refers to the Mediterranean Sea, which forms the western boundary of the land of Israel. However, it can also refer to rivers and lakes as well as the sea. Here it probably means that the drought will affect the fish that live in the rivers and lakes within the land of Israel.

In English, the words of the sea are redundant, because the word fish implies this idea. So some English versions leave the words of the sea implied. For example:

fish (Contemporary English Version)

disappear: In Hebrew, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disappear can mean to perish or be removed.

Here is another way to translate it:

and the fish of the sea are dying (New International Version)

In this verse, “to die” or disappear are different ways of saying the same thing. The way in which the animals disappear is through death. Use a natural expression in your language to translate the idea of death in this context.

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