SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 2020

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 2:7

2:7a The Lord has rejected His altar

The Lord stopped using his altar
-or-
He rejected his own altar

2:7b He has abandoned His sanctuary

and moved out of his holy place.
-or-
and disowned the sacred place where he lived ⌊in the temple⌋ .

2:7c He has delivered the walls of her palaces

He let the beautiful buildings ⌊in Jerusalem⌋
-or-

⌊Instead of protecting the city,⌋ he allowed ⌊Zion’s⌋ fortresses

2:7d into the hand of the enemy.

be destroyed by enemies.
-or-
to be captured by Israel’s enemies.

2:7e They have raised a shout in the house of the LORD

They shouted in Yahweh’s holy house
-or-
The enemies shouted in the temple of Yahweh,

2:7f as on the day of an appointed feast.

as people ⌊in former times⌋ shouted on a special holy day.
-or-
like we (incl.) previously shouted during our sacred festivals.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:17

3:17a My soul has been deprived of peace;

I cannot find peace (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Things no longer go well for me. (Translation for Translators)

3:17b I have forgotten what prosperity is.

or remember happiness. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I’ve forgotten what good times are like. (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
It has been so very long since I was happy.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:49

3:49a My eyes overflow unceasingly,

Tears come like a river from my eyes (Easy English Bible)
-or-
My eyes flow day and night with never-ending streams of tears (TLB)

3:49b without relief,

and they will not stop, (Easy English Bible)
-or-
and they won’t stop. (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 4:15

4:15a “Go away! Unclean!”

“Get out of here! You are defiled,”
-or-
They were told to go away because they were unclean.

4:15b men shouted at them.

men shouted at them.
-or-
Other people kept their distance and shouted to them,

4:15c “Away, away! Do not touch us!”

“Keep away! Do not touch us(exl) !”
-or-
to leave and not to touch anyone.

4:15d So they fled and wandered.

So the priests and prophets left and went away
-or-
So they ran away and wandered from country to country.

4:15e Among the nations it was said,

to other nations. But those people told them,
-or-
But the people in those countries

4:15f “They can stay here no longer.”

“You cannot stay here!”
-or-
would not let them stay.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 1:8

1:8a Jerusalem has sinned greatly

Jerusalem sinned terribly, (FBV)
-or-

⌊The people of⌋ Jerusalem have sinned very much.

1:8b therefore she has become an object of scorn.

which is why she is now treated as someone unclean. (FBV)
-or-
Therefore they all are not pure ritually.
-or-
and are not allowed to attend worship ceremonies.

1:8a-b (combined)

Jerusalem became unclean because she sinned very much.

1:8c All who honored her now despise her,

Everyone who used to honor her now despise her,
-or-
People who thought that this city was noble, now hate her.

1:8d for they have seen her nakedness;

because they’ve seen her naked and ashamed. (FBV)
-or-
They saw her stripped naked and humiliated.
-or-
Jerusalem is naked and dishonored like an unfaithful woman.

1:8e she herself groans and turns away.

⌊Now the people of the⌋ city groan. They cover their faces ⌊because they are very ashamed⌋ .
-or-
Jerusalem’s people make sad noises and they want to hide themselves away. (EEB)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 2:18

2:18a The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord.

The people ⌊of Jerusalem⌋ cry to the Lord from their hearts!
-or-
The people cry out to the Lord from the bottom of their hearts.

2:18b O wall of the Daughter of Zion,

Jerusalem, let your walls cry ⌊to the Lord, as people cry when in grief⌋ .
-or-
People of Jerusalem let your ⌊destroyed⌋ walls mourn ⌊as people mourn for their dead⌋ .

2:18c let your tears run down like a river day and night.

Cry day and night! Let your tears flow like rivers. (Translation for Translators)
-or-
Weep all the time. Let your tears run down your face like a waterfall.

2:18d Give yourself no relief,

Don’t stop crying (English Easy-to-Read Version)
-or-
Do not rest. (Easy English Bible)

2:18e and your eyes no rest.

or let your eyes dry. (English Easy-to-Read Version)
-or-
Do not let your eyes stop crying. (Easy English Bible)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:28

3:28a Let him sit alone in silence,

Let a person sit alone and be quiet.
-or-
He ⌊or she⌋ should sit alone and not say anything.

3:28b for God has disciplined him.

Because it is Yahweh who allowed the hard times come into his/her life.
-or-

⌊It is not an accident, but⌋ Yahweh has allowed it to happen.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:60

3:60a You have seen all their malice,

You know the evil things (Translation for Translators)
-or-
You know every bad plan

3:60b all their plots against me.

that they have planned to do to me. (Translation for Translators)
-or-
my enemies have planned for me.

3:60a-b (combined)

And you know about all the bad things that they want to do to me. (Easy English Bible)
-or-
You have seen all the evil plans that they made against me. (English Easy-to-Read Version)

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 2020