I called to my lovers: lovers is as in verse 2. In translation it may be necessary to make clear the purpose of calling to her lovers, that is, to her “allies,” “friends.” For example, “I called to my friends to help me” or “I asked my allies to help me.”

Deceived me is the literal translation of the Hebrew verb. However, in this context the sense is more like “disappointed me.” These lovers failed to come to give Jerusalem support. Accordingly Good News Translation has “refused to help me.” The New International Version (New International Version) has “betrayed me.”

My priests and elders: for priests see verse 4. Elders refers to “leaders, counselors” and in some languages is translated “my old men” or “my wise old men.” This category of persons complements the maidens and young men at the end of verse 18 to give the picture of people at both ends of the social and age scale as being deported or dead.

Perished in the city most likely represents the best Hebrew text. Some scholars have modified the Hebrew to say, with New English Bible, “went hungry and could find nothing.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends “They died in the city.”

While they sought food to revive their strength: food translates the general term here and not the word for “bread” used in verse 11. To revive their strength is literally “to bring back their soul,” which Good News Translation translates well as “to keep themselves alive.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on Lamentations. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .