Wail translates the verb first used in 4.8.

Shepherds is used here with the meaning “leaders” (see 3.15); it is translated “shepherds of the people” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. Lords literally means “mighty ones,” which is the rendering of Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. Elsewhere in Jeremiah the word is used in 14.3 (Revised Standard Version “nobles”); 25.35, 36; 30.21 (Revised Standard Version “prince”). You shepherds … you lords of the flock is rendered “you leaders, you shepherds of my people” by Good News Translation.

In ashes has been added translationally in Revised Standard Version following the verb roll (see 6.26, where the words “in ashes” are a part of the Hebrew text). Good News Translation has “roll in the dust” and New Jerusalem Bible “roll on the ground.” As in 6.26, rolling in the dust or in ashes is a sign of mourning. Quite often translators say “roll in the ashes [or, dust] in mourning [or, to show you are in mourning].”

The days of your slaughter and dispersion have come: The days of your slaughter … have come is most often translated “the time for you to be slaughtered has come.” Slaughter (see 11.19) means more than just “being killed”; “being butchered” is closer. Normally people “slaughtered” livestock (such as sheep, taken care of by shepherds) for market. And dispersion represents a word in the Hebrew text which a number of scholars hold to be unintelligible. It is omitted from Good News Translation, New American Bible, Revised English Bible, Zürcher Bibel, and An American Translation. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “you are now in line to be slaughtered! You will be scattered!” while New Jerusalem Bible renders “for your days have come to be slaughtered and to be scattered.” Translators may follow either of these patterns.

Choice rams represents the Septuagint; Hebrew has “a choice vessel,” which is the preference of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates the last clause of this verse as “You will fall and be shattered like an expensive vessel!” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible combines dispersion and you shall fall: “You will be scattered and fall like precious vessels.” “Vessel” in this context, of course, means a bowl or container.

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 .