Babylon has fallen and been broken: As in verse 7, Babylon is best understood as “Babylonia” (Good News Translation), the nation. The city comes into focus in verse 12. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch retains the figure of the cup by rendering “Suddenly the cup falls to the ground and is shattered.”

For wail see 4.8.

Take balm: See 46.11. Good News Translation renders Take balm for her pain as “Get medicine for its wounds.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “Get salve for her wounds.”

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 .