As a result of the continuous beatings, my flesh and my skin waste away. The thought here is that the man’s body has been beaten until it is worn out. Flesh, skin, and bones are to be taken as part of the body representing the whole. Job expresses similar thoughts in Job 7.5; 30.30. Most translations keep the three body parts or modify them to fit the style of their own language; for example, Bible en français courant “He has withered me away from head to foot, he has broken my bones.” Good News Translation “left my flesh open and raw” does not mention the skin, but “flesh open” means that the skin too has been affected. The vision of Isaiah concerning Jerusalem is expressed in similar language. See Isaiah 1.5-6.

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 .