SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 2020

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 1:2

1:2a She weeps aloud in the night,

All night long she cries.
-or-
We weep bitterly all night long, (Translation for Translators)

1:2b with tears upon her cheeks.

Tears run down her cheeks.
-or-
with tears flowing down our cheeks. (Translation for Translators)

1:2c Among all her lovers

Many nations were friendly to her, (English Easy-to-Read Version)
-or-
From those ⌊nations⌋ who loved us

1:2d there is no one to comfort her.

but not one of them comforts her now. (English Easy-to-Read Version)
-or-
nobody speaks kind words to us.

1:2e All her friends have betrayed her;

Her/Jerusalem’s allies have betrayed her,
-or-
All our friends have deceived us.

1:2f they have become her enemies.

and are all against her now. (GNTD)
-or-
They are now our enemies.

1:3a Judah has gone into exile

Judah has been led away into captivity, (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

⌊The enemies⌋ took them away as slaves.

1:3b under affliction and harsh slavery;

oppressed with cruel slavery. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

⌊after the people of⌋ Judah ⌊around the city Jerusalem⌋ had suffered very much.

1:3c she dwells among the nations

Now they live among the nations. (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
They live in other lands, (GNTD)

1:3d but finds no place to rest.

They canʼt find any place to rest. (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
with no place to call their own.

1:3e All her pursuers have overtaken her

The enemies ran after them and seized them
-or-
The people who chased ⌊the Jews ⌋ caught them

1:3f in the midst of her distress.

while the people were in trouble.
-or-
in the narrow places, ⌊where they tried to hide⌋ .

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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 2:13

2:13a What can I say for you?

Is there anything I could say to you ⌊people of Jerusalem, that would help you⌋ ? ⌊No, there is nothing to say.⌋
-or-
I don’t know what to say to you(pl) .

2:13b To what can I compare you, O Daughter of Jerusalem?

O Jerusalem, what can I compare your anguish to? (TLB)
-or-
Who has ever seen such sorrow, (New Living Translation (2004)) ⌊as you have,⌋ people of Jerusalem? ⌊No one!⌋

2:13c To what can I liken you,

Is there anyone to whom I can compare you(pl) ⌊people of Jerusalem⌋ ?
-or-
There is no one to whom I could compare you, ⌊people of Jerusalem⌋ .

2:13d that I may console you,

⌊Can I say anything⌋ that would comfort you,
-or-
I don’t know how to comfort you,

2:13e O Virgin Daughter of Zion?

lovely city of Jerusalem? ⌊No, there is nothing I can say.⌋
-or-
my beloved people of Jerusalem!

2:13f For your wound is as deep as the sea.

Your disaster is boundless as the ocean (GNTD)
-or-
You have been wounded so terribly,

2:13g Who can ever heal you?

there is no possible hope. (GNTD)
-or-
that no man can restore you.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:23

3:23a They are new every morning;

His great love is new every morning. (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
Every morning he is merciful to us again. (Translation for Translators)

3:23b great is Your faithfulness!

You are so faithful, ⌊Yahweh⌋ !
-or-
We can always trust you.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:55

3:55a I called on Your name, O LORD,

I shouted your name, Yahweh
-or-
But I prayed to you, Yahweh,

3:55b out of the depths of the Pit.

from the bottom of the water hole.
-or-
when I was drowning in the well.

3:55a-b (combined)

But from the bottom of the grave I cried out to Yahweh.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 4:21

4:21a So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom,

Be happy and glad, people of Edom. (New Century Version)
-or-
Celebrate and be happy while you can, people of Edom ⌊you descendants of Esau⌋ ,

4:21b you who dwell in the land of Uz.

Celebrate, you who live in the land of Uz.
-or-
in the land ⌊which is named after a man called⌋ Uz.

4:21c Yet the cup will pass to you as well;

But ⌊you must know,⌋ you will also be judged.
-or-

⌊However, the time will come when⌋ God will punish you too!

4:21d you will get drunk and expose yourself.

Then you will be ⌊like people who get⌋ drunk and take off their clothes.
-or-
Then you will get drunk and go naked. (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 1:14

1:14a My transgressions are bound into a yoke,

⌊He/God⌋ made a rope of my sins and bound it around my neck.
-or-
He has caused our sins to seem like something very heavy that lies on our necks. (Easy English Bible)

1:14b knit together by His hand;

He/God himself bound/wove my sins together
-or-

⌊It feels as if God⌋ remembered all our sins, and as if he bound them together with his hands.

1:14c they are draped over my neck,

and tied them around my neck.
-or-
Then he placed them on us.

1:14d and the Lord has broken my strength.

So, the Lord/Master made us weak.
-or-
That is how the Lord caused us to lose our strength/energy.

1:14e He has delivered me into the hands of those I cannot withstand.

He has allowed our enemies to capture us. We were not able to resist them.
-or-
He let them win against us. So we cannot beat them. (Easy English Bible)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:2

3:2a He has driven me away

He chased me away
-or-
He drove me into captivity. (NET Bible)

3:2b and made me walk

and forced me to go
-or-
I had to walk

3:2c in darkness instead of light.

in darkness instead of light.
-or-
in dark places without light.

3:2a-c (combined)

He chased me into a dark place, where no light could enter. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
God has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light. (God’s Word)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 3:34

3:34a To crush underfoot

⌊Yahweh sees it if people⌋ mistreat
-or-
Bad people may be cruel (Easy English Bible)

3:34b all the prisoners of the land,

all the prisoners in the country.
-or-
to those who are in prison. (Easy English Bible)

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Lamentations 2020