As previously indicated, verses 5-9 contain the LORD’s lament over the fate of his people. It is not until verse 6 of the Hebrew text that the LORD is identified as the speaker, but Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch shift this information to verse 5, where it is more natural for readers of English and German.

Have pity on: See the comment at 13.14.

Jerusalem here is equivalent to “people of Jerusalem” (Good News Translation).

Bemoan is first used in 4.1, where Revised Standard Version translates “waver.” Certainly in this context the meaning is “grieve” (Good News Translation) or “mourn” (New International Version), although “offer condolences” is also possible.

Turn aside suggests to turn off the path, with the sense of pausing on a journey. Good News Translation brings out this idea with “stop long enough to ask.”

Welfare is the same noun rendered “well” in the construction “It shall be well with you” in 4.10. In this verse “well-being” is possible, or simply “how you are.”

All three questions here are rhetorical; that is, they are not looking for answers, but are making a statement. They assume the answer is “No one!” In many languages it is better to say something like “No one will have pity on you, Jerusalem. No one will grieve for you. There is no one who will stop to ask how you are.” Of course, if rhetorical questions are commonly used in laments, translators should retain them. And if a language uses other special words or expressions for laments, translators may find these helpful too.

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 .