Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

The Hebrew verb rendered sing aloud is found in its intensive form in 31.12 and 51.48 (Revised Standard Version “sing for joy”). A noun from the same verb appears in 7.16; 11.14; 14.12 (Revised Standard Version “cry”). Most versions retain sing, although some have preferred “shout” since they see it as parallel to raise shouts in the next line. Good News Translation has simply dropped this second verb, but some translators will want to retain the two expressions, as for example in “Sing with joy for Israel [or, Jacob]. Yes, shout out praise for the greatest of the nations.”

Jacob (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant “Israel”) is used in a parallel structure with the chief of the nations: “Sing with joy for Israel, the greatest of the nations” (Good News Translation; similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

Proclaim, give praise, and say: If this is translated literally, the order of the verbs in Hebrew and Revised Standard Version results in an anticlimax, since say is weak following the verbs proclaim and give praise. New Jerusalem Bible has “Proclaim! praise! shout….” Translators can take say as expressing the content of give praise, and say something like “Proclaim the news! Give praise [to the LORD] and say….”

As the Good News Translation note indicates, the LORD has saved his people represents the Septuagint. The Hebrew has “Save, O LORD, your people,” which is the preference of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. Their assumption is that the imperative was altered in order to make the text read smoothly and more consistently with the context. New International Version, Bible en français courant, and New Revised Standard Version all follow the Hebrew. In the context of this verse of praise, translators can make sense with either, and should follow the alternative that reads the most natural.

The remnant of Israel (see 6.9) is here used in the same sense as “his people.” Good News Translation renders the remnant as “all who are left.”

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 .