As noted in the introduction to this section, verses 15-18 contain Jeremiah’s response to the LORD. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “I answered” and Good News Translation “Then I said” make it clear that Jeremiah is the speaker here.

Thou knowest is rendered “you understand” by Good News Translation. Some languages will require an object for the verb: “You know everything” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Bible en français courant has “you know well everything about my situation.”

Visit translates a verb of many different meanings; in verse 3 it is rendered “appoint,” but here it has the meaning of “help” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Good News Translation). Other translations have “intervene on my behalf” or “act on my behalf.”

Jeremiah asks the LORD to take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Rather than “Let me have revenge…” (Good News Translation), it is better to say “Take revenge on my behalf…” or “Avenge my enemies for me.” Persecutors can be “those who persecute me” (Good News Translation) or “those who cause me to suffer.”

In thy forbearance refers here to Jeremiah’s enemies (my persecutors in the previous line). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible points this out in a footnote, whereas Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Good News Translation make it clear in the text, “Do not be so patient with them…,” as does Luther 1984 “while you hold back your anger against them.”

Take me not away: The meaning is “do not let me die” and so Good News Translation has “… that they succeed in killing me.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders the entire line as “Don’t let me fall victim to your patience!” Another way to express this would be “Don’t be so patient with them that they have the time to kill me.”

Know that for thy sake I bear reproach can be expressed as “Look at how I am insulted for your sake,” “See how people insult me because I serve you,” or “Think of how I am insulted on your account!” I bear reproach (Good News Translation “I am insulted”) may require an active construction, as in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “they insult me.”

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 .