This is a lamentation which shall be chanted: This prophecy is already called a lamentation or “funeral song” (New Century Version) in verse 2 (see the comments there). Now the same word is used to show that the prophecy has ended, but some extra details about the funeral song are added. Which shall be chanted simply means “people will sing [it]” (New Century Version). Translators need to make it clear that this sentence refers to the preceding verses, not those that follow. They may say “That is the funeral song that people will sing.”

The daughters of the nations shall chant it: The daughters of the nations does not refer to girls, but to women, so good models for this phrase are “foreign women” (Contemporary English Version) and “Women from other nations” (New International Reader’s Version). In those times it was the custom that the women, not the men, would sing funeral songs.

Over Egypt, and over all her multitude, shall they chant it: The foreign women will sing this funeral song in mourning for Egypt and all its people. Many translators will find it more natural to reorder this clause as follows: “they will sing that song in mourning for Egypt and all its people.” For her multitude as the people of Egypt, see verse 12.

Says the Lord GOD: The prophecy finally ends with this solemn formal declaration that God is the speaker (see the comments on Ezek 32.8).

In Revised Standard Version and many other translations, a significant aspect of the Hebrew in this verse does not come through clearly. The noun rendered lamentation and the verb translated chant come from the same Hebrew root. As a result, this verse contains a great deal of repetition that emphasizes the idea of the sadness of the funeral song. King James Version, despite its archaic language, provides a model for this repetition by saying “This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD” (similarly New King James Version ). A model that uses contemporary language is:

• This is the mourning song that people will sing to mourn for Egypt. Women of other countries will mourn for it [or, sing in mourning for it]. They will mourn [or, sing this mourning song] for Egypt and all its people. I, the Lord Yahweh, say this.”

Translators will do well if they can find appropriate terms to reflect this repetition in their languages, so that their renderings have a similar focus on the sad funeral song.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .