The first two units of verse 5 contrast Jerusalem’s powerful enemies with the suffering of the defeated city. Her occurs five times with reference to Jerusalem (or, Zion). Good News Translation makes this reference to Zion clear by placing that name in the final line of verse 4. The translator must examine the repeated use of the pronoun her and decide whether or not it will be clearer in some cases to say “Jerusalem’s” or “of Jerusalem.”

Her foes have become the head is a literal translation of the Hebrew. The meaning is that Jerusalem’s enemies have triumphed and defeated her. Good News Translation “succeeded” implies that her enemies have succeeded in conquering her. Bible en français courant translates “Her enemies have got the upper hand,” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “The enemies are at the peak of their fortune,” and New English Bible “Her adversaries have become her masters.” This use of head may be picking up the thought of Deuteronomy 28.44, which Revised Standard Version translates “He shall be the head and you shall be the tail.”

Her enemies prosper translates the Hebrew for “her enemies are at ease,” which New English Bible renders “her enemies take their ease.” This means that they scarcely need to exert themselves to conquer Jerusalem, since their victory is given to them by God. The poet clearly looks at the conquest of Jerusalem as a fulfillment of the warnings of the prophets. This half-line may also be rendered, for example, “It is easy for Jerusalem’s enemies to win their battles.”

Because the LORD has made her suffer provides the reason why her enemies prosper. In some languages “to cause to suffer” is expressed as “because the LORD punished her.” For the translation of suffer see verse 4.

LORD translates in English the four Hebrew letters YHWH, which represent the personal name of the God of the Israelites.

For the multitude of her transgressions gives the reason for Jerusalem’s suffering. The word translated transgressions and “sins” (Good News Translation) carries a strong element of disobedience and willful rebellion and is sometimes used to refer to political rebellions. If the idea of rebellion is to be stressed, we may sometimes say, for example, “because the people of Jerusalem disobeyed God” or “because Jerusalem turned away from God.” Some languages say idiomatically “The people of Jerusalem made their livers hard toward God.” It may be necessary in translation to make the cause-effect relation clearer than in Good News Translation; for example, “God has made Jerusalem suffer because she has sinned” or “Jerusalem suffers because of her sins. God makes her suffer.”

Her children is taken by nearly all translations to refer to the young offspring of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. To speak of her children … gone away gives the impression that they have left voluntarily, which is hardly the case. Good News Translation “have been captured and taken away” may suggest the picture of children being pursued and caught. Good News Translation translates a similar Hebrew expression in Deuteronomy 28.41, “they will be taken away as prisoners of war,” which is also a good model for translation in this verse. In languages which do not have a general term for children, it is usually possible to say “her sons and daughters” or “Jerusalem’s sons and daughters.”

Captives before the foe: in Deuteronomy 28.36, 63-68 it is the LORD who leads the rebellious nation of Israel away into captivity for breaking the covenant. The last pair of half-lines of verse 5 depict the children of Jerusalem being led away by their captors. The final half-line seems to indicate that these children are forced to march off into captivity, perhaps like sheep driven before their captors. This suggests that the children are old enough to be led away. Captives are persons captured, seized, imprisoned by conquering armies. We may translate “Her children have become prisoners of war and have been taken away” or “The enemy has taken away the children of Jerusalem as prisoners of war.”

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 .

The first two units of this verse are closely parallel in meaning. The third unit highlights mockery in the form of a sarcastic question.

In the first unit the passers-by clap their hands. This is a literal translation, but it does not mean to applaud as a sign of appreciation, as it does in many countries today; rather it is an expression of ridicule and scorn. New English Bible “snap their fingers” is an attempt to give a modern equivalent, but it does not really convey the idea of ridicule very well in English. Gestures in most cultures serve several purposes, and each communicates its intention only in the circumstances in which it is used. Accordingly in many languages it is best to give a description of the gesture and then add its purpose; for example, “People pass by the city and thrust out their lips to scorn you,” or “People go by you pulling their fingers and saying, ‘You are nothing any more.’ ” See also Good News Translation.

They … wag their heads is again a close formal translation of the Hebrew; but in some languages this action may mean “they disagree” or “they say ‘No.’ ” Neither of these meanings is intended here. For the sake of clarity it may be necessary to add a word or two of explanation, as in Psalm 109.25, “They shake their heads in scorn” (Good News Translation). Similarly the word hiss, which Revised Standard Version and New English Bible use to translate the verb at the beginning of the second unit, may well be understood as the verb which introduces the direct speech in the third unit. So the second unit can be translated “they shake their heads in scorn at Jerusalem and use these words to mock her:….”

Daughter of Jerusalem is the object of the scornful gestures in this unit. Good News Translation is correct in making it clear that it is the “ruins of Jerusalem” that are being mocked.

The third unit of this verse in Hebrew is exceptionally long. It includes two quotations describing Jerusalem as it was in the past, and both quotations are included within the words spoken by All who pass along the way. The quotations are taken word-for-word from Psalm 50.2 and Psalm 48.2 respectively. These words applied to Jerusalem as she was in the past, but they are no longer true. Jerusalem’s “perfect beauty” is also mentioned in Ezekiel 16.14 as a thing of the past. Psalm 48 is an expression of confidence that Jerusalem will always be safe from its enemies, but here these same enemies contrast the past with “the ruins of Jerusalem” as it is now.

Is this … the perfection of beauty may be rendered “Is this the city which was perfect and beautiful?” Joy of all the earth may sometimes be translated, for example, “all the people of the world had joy because of Jerusalem?” or “Jerusalem which gave joy to all the earth’s people?”

The questions asked in the third unit of this verse are rhetorical, in that they are not asked in order to get a reply, but rather to make a negative statement: “Jerusalem is no longer a perfectly beautiful city, nor is it the joy of all the earth.” Moreover the spirit in which these rhetorical questions are asked is that of sarcasm, contempt, ridicule.

In translation it is important that the ridicule shown in the gestures of the first two units should continue into the third. Accordingly it was suggested above that the second unit introduce the final one: “They shake their heads in scorn at Jerusalem and use these words to mock her….” Or we may translate the third unit, for example, “They make fun of Jerusalem when they ask, ‘Is this the city…?’ ” If a rhetorical question cannot be used in sarcasm, the translator may say, for example, “They ridicule the people by saying, ‘This certainly is not a perfect and beautiful city, and it does not give joy to the people of the earth.’ ”

Some languages require the source of direct speech to be placed either before the quoted material or following it; for example, “This is what the people said”; or following the quote, “Those are the words the people spoke.”

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 .

Verses 25, 26, and 27 each begin with the Hebrew tob “good.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him: good applies to the quality of the relationship the LORD has with those who wait for him. See also Psalm 34.8; 86.5. The expression The LORD is good to those must sometimes be expressed in such a form as “The LORD does good things to those…” or “The LORD gives good things to those….” Wait for translates a verb whose meaning is most probably “trust in, have confidence in, depend on.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Bible en français courant say “who count on him” as an expression of trust. In some languages “trust in him” may be translated idiomatically; for example, “who put their heart on God” or “who have a quiet innermost toward God.”

The soul that seeks him is parallel in meaning to those who wait for him in the previous half-line. Soul is the Hebrew nefesh, meaning here “the person, anyone, everyone, all.” Seeks literally means to search, look for. The same verb is used in this way in many passages in the Psalms; for example, Psalm 9.10 “… for thou, O LORD, hast not forsaken those who seek thee.” See also Psalm 22.26; 34.4, 10; 69.32. With God as object the word may mean “to pray to, worship, or serve.” It is sometimes translated “turn to,” as in Bible en français courant, which says in verse 25 “for those who turn to him.” It is necessary in translating this term to avoid giving the impression that God is a lost object to be found. Accordingly we may sometimes translate “to everyone who comes to you,” “to all who worship you,” or “to everyone who wants to serve you.”

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 .

By the time verse 57 is spoken, the poet has regained his confidence that God has heard him, and he is no longer conscious of a barrier blocking his prayers, as he was in verse 44.

Thou didst come near: come near translates a verb meaning approach, advance, and so suggests coming close in distance or space from the speaker’s point of view. A parallel usage is found in Psalm 145.18: “The LORD is near to all who call upon him.” Good News Translation translates “You answered me,” which gives the meaning. When translates what is literally “in the day.”

Most translations accept Do not fear as direct address. In verses 56 and 57, as at many other places where direct discourse may be used, the translator must decide if direct or indirect speech is the more natural. Some languages, particularly with verbs of communication, show a preference for direct speech. Where the language accepts both, the translator must decide which form is better, on the basis of style and impact on the reader.

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 .

This chapter begins, not with a contrast between past and present, but with an appeal to the LORD to keep in mind the sufferings of his people. It is the scorn and mockery resulting from defeat and failure that the poet is thinking of at this point, rather than physical suffering. The same attitude is found in Psalm 79.4; 123.3-4.

Remember, O LORD is a plea or prayer for mercy. A similar plea was voiced in 3.19; but unlike there, the imperative here is very emphatic. The poet is asking that God keep in mind and not forget the suffering of Jerusalem’s people. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Bible en français courant express this plea as a negative: “LORD, do not forget….” We may also translate, for example, “O LORD, think about…,” or idiomatically in some languages, “O LORD, do not let go…,” or “O LORD, keep tied tightly….” Befallen means “happened”: “what has happened to us” (Good News Translation), or “what the enemy has done to us.”

The second line of Revised Standard Version matches our disgrace with the more general expression what has befallen us of the first line. Disgrace translates a word meaning insult, shame, reproach. In Genesis 30.23 it applies to Rachel’s shame for having no children, “God has taken away my reproach.” Here it refers to the offense or shame of being conquered and insulted by a pagan nation. The nature of the disgrace is spelled out from verse 2 to 18. Behold, and see translates the same verbs used in 1.11; however, the verbs are in the reverse order here. The double use of verbs of seeing serves to emphasize the force of the poet’s plea for the LORD to recognize, acknowledge, be aware of what has happened to his people.

The expression see our disgrace may require some adjustment in translation, because “disgrace” is an abstract term, and it may not be possible to speak of seeing it. In some languages disgrace will have to be changed to a verb; for example, “look at us and see how our enemies have shamed us” or “look how much our enemies have insulted us.” Also in some languages see our disgrace must be expressed idiomatically; for example, “see how our faces are hot” or “… how we have turned away our eyes.”

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 .

The first unit of this verse is a good example of Hebrew parallelism, in which the second half-line enlivens and makes picturable the general remark in the first half-line. That is, weeps in the first half-line is matched in the second by eyes flow with tears. The two half-lines mean essentially the same thing, but the poetic imagery in the second half-line sharpens the feeling expressed in the first.

For these things refers back to the previous two or three verses as the reasons for Zion’s tears. The city had been pictured as a weeping woman in verse 2, and here a further explanation is given for her tears. Just as in verse 2, where Jerusalem’s “cheeks” were part of the total imagery, so here her eyes are mentioned to give added vividness to her grief. In Hebrew the word translated my eyes is repeated, and various reasons have been suggested for this. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “my two eyes,” but it is unlikely that the poet intended that meaning. New English Bible changes one of the two words for eye to mean “my plight,” but the Septuagint and other translations ignore the repetition. It is best to translate as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

As in verses 2 and 9, it is emphasized that Jerusalem has no one to comfort her. A comforter is far from me does not mean that Jerusalem has a comforter at some great distance, but that she has no one to comfort her. Comforter translates the same verb root as in verse 2. See there for comments.

One to revive my courage adds little that is new to the meaning but parallels the half-line before. Such close parallelism may not serve to emphasize the thought in some languages, and so adjustments may have to be made. For example, instead of repeating the same words, it may be necessary to say “truly, I have no one to comfort me,” “I have no one to comfort or encourage me,” or “I say this, ‘I have no one to comfort me.’ ” The thought of this pair of parallel half-lines will sometimes be translated idiomatically; for example, “there is no one to make my heart cool” or “… to strengthen my insides.”

My children are desolate: children continues the imagery appropriate for the female speaker who is Jerusalem. The meaning of children may be the inhabitants of Jerusalem spoken of as children, or the term may refer literally to the children who lived in Jerusalem. Most translations which attempt to retain the poetic imagery prefer to translate as “children” or “sons.” Desolate translates the same Hebrew word as in verses 4 and 13 (“stunned”). Here, however, it is because the enemy has prevailed, or triumphed, that the children and people have no hope. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “my children no longer have a future.” This serves as a good translation model.

For the enemy has prevailed: prevailed here means that the enemy has been too strong for Jerusalem to resist, and so the enemy has been victorious. The same thought is expressed in verse 9. Note that Good News Translation has reversed these two half-lines so that “the enemy has conquered me” is the cause leading to the consequence, “my people have nothing left.”

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 .

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 .