I cry for help until morning: I cry for help renders an emended text, which many translations follow (so RSV/NRSV, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Revised English Bible emends the Hebrew text differently to read “I am racked with pain” (similarly Good News Translation). But Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and de~Waard advise against adopting any such emendations. The Hebrew verb here means “I imagined” or “I thought,” which makes good sense in this context. This line may be rendered “I thought [or, pondered] until the morning” or “I thought all night.” It may be helpful to add a footnote that mentions the alternative readings.

Like a lion he breaks all my bones: Many Lament Psalms use the imagery of a lion to refer to serious problems experienced by people (see, for example, Psa 7.2; 10.9; 17.12). The pronoun he refers to God. The form of the Hebrew verb rendered breaks is emphatic, so “shatter” or “smash” expresses its meaning well. Hezekiah felt that just as a lion smashes the bones of its victims, so God dealt with him. God did not literally smash his bones, but caused him to have intense pain. If translators cannot keep the imagery here, this line may be rendered “The LORD made me suffer terribly.”

From day to night thou dost bring me to an end: This line is identical to the last line of the previous verse; see the comments there.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• I considered [or, pondered] until the morning:
he has shattered all my bones like a lion does.
The LORD brought me to an end constantly.

• I thought [about it] all night:
God has broken all my bones just like a lion would do.
Day in [and] day out God made an end of me.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .