The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “cheek” in English is translated in Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl as “face” since there is no specific word in that language for “cheek.”
acrostic in Lamentations 1
The Hebrew text of Lamentations 1-4 uses acrostics, a literary form in which each verse is started with one of the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. According to Brenda Boerger (in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. ) there are three different reasons for acrostics in the Hebrew text: “for ease of memorization,” the representation “of the full breadth and depth of a topic, all the way from aleph to taw (tav),” and the perception of “the acrostic form as aesthetically attractive.” (p. 191)
While most translations mention the existence of an acrostic in a note or a comment, few implement it in their translation. One such exception is the Danish Bibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.).
Click or tap here for Lamentations 1 in Danish
1 Ak ja, den travle by er nu folketom.
Den storslåede by sidder tilbage som en fattig enke.
Dronningen blandt byer blev degraderet til tjenestepige.
2 Byen jamrer og græder natten lang.
Ingen kommer for at trøste hende i sorgen.
Alle de gamle venner har svigtet hende.
3 Det judæiske folk blev mishandlet og ført bort som slaver.
De vansmægter nu i det fremmede uden at finde hvile.
De kunne ikke undslippe, da fjenden oversvømmede byen.
4 Efter at templet blev ødelagt, er det forbi med højtid og fest.
Vejene op til Jerusalem er øde, og byens gader tomme.
Præsterne sørger, pigerne græder, hele byen er fortvivlet.
5 Fjenderne gik af med sejren og plyndrede byen.
Det var Herrens straf for al folkets ulydighed.
Alle byens indbyggere blev ført bort som slaver.
6 Glansen er fuldstændig gået af den før så herlige by.
Byens ledere var udhungrede som hjorte, der forgæves leder efter føde.
De var for udmattede til at undslippe deres forfølgere.
7 Hjemløs og fattig sidder Jerusalem og mindes de skatte, hun har mistet.
Ingen af hendes venner kom hende til hjælp mod fjendens angreb.
Hun blev hånet og spottet af den overlegne fjende.
8 Ingen vil længere se op til Jerusalem, som de gjorde engang.
Hun blev ydmyget og plyndret på grund af sine mange synder.
Nu sidder hun og jamrer, afklædt og skamfuld.
9 Jerusalem var utro mod Herren uden at tænke på følgerne.
Hun fik en frygtelig straf, og der er ingen, der trøster hende.
„Se min elendighed!” råber hun til Herren. „Min fjende foragter mig!”
10 Katastrofen er ikke til at bære, for alt er tabt.
Ikke alene blev alle byens værdier plyndret,
men fremmede folkeslag brød ind i templet og vanhelligede det.
11 Lidelsen ramte alle, som boede i byen.
Hungersnøden tvang dem til at sælge deres sidste ejendele for lidt mad.
Byen råber i sin nød: „Ak, Herre, se dog, hvor foragtet jeg er!
12 Mon der findes en større smerte end min?
Hvad mener I, der står og ser på min ulykke?
Det er jo Herren selv, der har sendt sin straf.
13 Nettet blev kastet ud over mig, og han fangede mig i fælden.
Dommen kom ned fra himlen som en fortærende ild.
Ensom og forladt sidder jeg her i min stadige pine.
14 Om halsen på mig ligger en byrde, som tynger mig til jorden.
Alle mine synder har han lagt som et åg på mine skuldre.
Jeg kunne intet gøre mod de mægtige fjender, han sendte.
15 På slagmarken ligger mine døde, tapre krigere.
Han sendte en mægtig hær mod mine unge soldater.
Han trampede på os, som man tramper druer i vinpersen.
16 Resultatet er en stadig strøm af tårer.
Der er ingen til at trøste og hjælpe mig.
Alt er håbløst, for fjenden har besejret os totalt.”
17 Selv om byen beder om nåde, er der ingen trøst at hente.
Det var Herren, der befalede nabofolkene at gå imod Israel.
De ser nu på Jerusalem som det værste skidt.
18 „Trods mine lidelser,” siger Jerusalem, „ved jeg, at Herrens dom var retfærdig,
for vi gjorde oprør imod alle hans befalinger.
Forstå min smerte, alle I folkeslag: Mine indbyggere er ført bort som slaver.
19 Uanset mit råb om hjælp blev jeg svigtet af mine nærmeste venner.
Mine præster og ledere bukkede under for hungersnøden,
forgæves søgte de efter mad nok til at overleve.
20 Vær mig nådig, Herre, for jeg erkender min synd.
De, der vovede sig ud på gaden, blev dræbt af sværdet,
men de, der blev inde i husene, bukkede under for sulten.
21 Ynkelige suk er alt, hvad jeg kan ytre, og der kommer ingen for at trøste mig.
Mine fjender fryder sig over den dom, du har afsagt over mig.
Gid du snart vil fælde dom over dem, ligesom du dømte mig.
22 Åh, Herre, glem ikke al deres ondskab!
Straf dem, som du har straffet mig!
Mit hjerte er fuldt af sorg, og jeg sukker konstant.”
Copyright © 1985, 1992, 2005, 2013, 2015 by Biblica, Inc.®
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) maintains most Hebrew acrostics (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew):
1 Alone she dwells, the city erewhile so populous; a widow now, once a queen among the nations; tributary now, that once had provinces at her command.
2 Be sure she weeps; there in the darkness her cheeks are wet with tears; of all that courted her, none left to console her, all those lovers grown weary of her, and turned into enemies.
3 Cruel the suffering and the bondage of Juda’s exile; that she must needs dwell among the heathen! Nor respite can she find; close at her heels the pursuit, and peril on either hand.
4 Desolate, the streets of Sion; no flocking, now, to the assembly; the gateways lie deserted. Sighs priest, and the maidens go in mourning, so bitter the grief that hangs over all.
5 Exultant, now, her invaders; with her enemies nothing goes amiss. For her many sins, the Lord has brought doom on her, and all her children have gone into exile, driven before the oppressor.
6 Fled is her beauty, the Sion that was once so fair; her chieftains have yielded their ground before the pursuer, strengthless as rams that can find no pasture.
7 Grievous the memories she holds, of the hour when all her ancient glories passed from her, when her people fell defenceless before the invader, unresisting before an enemy that derided them.
8 Heinously Jerusalem sinned; what wonder if she became an outlaw? How they fell to despising her when they saw her shame, that once flattered her! Deeply she sighed, and turned away her head.
9 Ill might skirts of her robe the defilement conceal; alas, so reckless of her doom, alas, fallen so low, with none to comfort her! Mark it well, Lord; see how humbled I, how exultant my adversary!
10 Jealous hands were laid on all she treasured; so it was that she must see Gentiles profane her sanctuary, Gentiles, by thy ordinance from the assembly debarred.
11 Kindred was none but went sighing for lack of bread, offered its precious heirlooms for food to revive men’s hearts. Mark it well, Lord, and see my pride abased!
12 Look well, you that pass by, and say if there was ever grief like this grief of mine; never a grape on the vineyard left to glean, when the Lord’s threat of vengeance is fulfilled.
13 Must fire from heaven waste my whole being, ere I can learn my lesson? Must he catch me in a net, to drag me back from my course? Desolate he leaves me, to pine away all the day long with grief.
14 No respite it gives me, the yoke of guilt I bear, by his hand fastened down upon my neck; see, I faint under it! The Lord has given me up a prisoner to duress there is no escaping.
15 Of all I had, the Lord has taken away the noblest; lost to me, all the flower of my chivalry, under his strict audit; Sion, poor maid, here was a wine-press well trodden down!
16 Pray you, should I not weep? Fountains these eyes are, that needs must flow; comforter is none at hand, that should revive my spirits. Lost to me, all those sons of mine, outmatched by their enemy.
17 Quest for consolation is vain, let her plead where she will; neighbours of Jacob, so the Lord decrees, are Jacob’s enemies, and all around they shrink from her, as from a thing unclean.
18 Right the Lord has in his quarrel; I have set his commands at defiance. O world, take warning; see what pangs I suffer, all my folk gone into exile, both man and maid.
19 So false the friends that were once my suitors! And now the city lacks priests and elders both, that went begging their bread, to revive the heart in them.
20 Take note, Lord, of my anguish, how my bosom burns, and my heart melts within me, in bitter ruth. And all the while, sword threatens without, and death not less cruel within.
21 Uncomforted my sorrow, but not unheard; my enemies hear it, and rejoice that my miseries are of thy contriving. Ah, but when thy promise comes true, they shall feel my pangs!
22 Vintager who didst leave my boughs so bare, for my much offending, mark well their cruelty, and strip these too in their turn; here be sighs a many, and a sad heart to claim it. (Source )
Spanish has a different tradition of acrostics. It uses non-alphabetic acrostics where the first letters of each line (or verse) together form a word or phrase. In the Traducción en lenguaje actual (publ. 2002, 2004), the translators used the first letters of this chapter of Lamentation to spell out “POBRECITA DE TI, JERUSALEN” (“Poor you, little Jerusalem”) which also is the first line of this chapter of Lamentations (for more on the translation process of this, see Alfredo Tepox in The Bible Translator 2004, p. 233ff. ).
Click or tap here for Lamentations 1 in the Traducción en lenguaje actual
1 ¡Pobrecita de ti, Jerusalén!
Antes eras la más famosa
de todas las ciudades.
¡Antes estabas llena de gente,
pero te has quedado muy sola,
te has quedado viuda!
¡Fuiste la reina de las naciones,
pero hoy eres esclava de ellas!
2 Olvidada y bañada en lágrimas
pasas todas las noches.
Muchos decían que te amaban,
pero hoy nadie te consuela.
Los que se decían tus amigos
hoy son tus enemigos.
3 Bajo el peso de las cadenas,
la gente de Judá salió prisionera.
Sus enemigos los atraparon
y los maltrataron con crueldad.
Ahora son esclavos en países lejanos,
y no han dejado de sufrir.
4 Ruido ya no se escucha
en tus portones, Jerusalén.
¡Qué triste es ver
tus calles desiertas!
Los sacerdotes lloran
y las jóvenes se afligen.
Todo en ti es amargura;
ya nadie viene a tus fiestas.
5 Es tanto tu pecado,
que Dios te castigó.
El enemigo se llevó prisioneros
a todos tus habitantes.
Ahora el enemigo te domina
y vive feliz y contento.
6 ¡Cómo has perdido, Jerusalén,
la belleza que tuviste!
Tus jefes, ya sin fuerzas,
huyen de quienes los persiguen.
¡Hasta parecen venados hambrientos
en busca de pastos frescos!
7 Insistes en recordar
que alguna vez fuiste rica.
Ahora vives en la tristeza
y no tienes a dónde ir.
Cuando el enemigo te conquistó,
no hubo nadie que te ayudara.
Cuando el enemigo te vio vencida,
se burló de verte en desgracia.
8 Tanto has pecado, Jerusalén,
que todos te desprecian.
Los que antes te admiraban
hoy se burlan al verte en desgracia.
¡Ahora derramas lágrimas,
y avergonzada escondes la cara!
9 ¡Asombrosa ha sido tu caída!
¡No hay nadie que te consuele!
Jamás pensaste en llegar a ser
tan despreciada,
y ahora exclamas:
«Mis enemigos me vencieron.
¡Mira, Dios mío, mi aflicción!»
10 Dueño de todas tus riquezas
es ahora tu enemigo.
Tú misma viste entrar en el templo
gente de otros pueblos,
aunque Dios había ordenado
que no debían entrar allí.
11 El pueblo entero llora
y anda en busca de pan.
Con tal de seguir con vida,
cambian sus riquezas por comida.
Llorando le dicen a Dios:
«¡Mira cómo nos humillan!»
12 Todos ustedes, que pasan y me ven,
¿por qué gozan al verme sufrir?
¿Dónde han visto a alguien
que sufra tanto como yo?
Cuando Dios se enojó conmigo,
me mandó este sufrimiento.
13 Intensa lluvia de fuego
ha enviado Dios sobre mí.
Mis huesos se han quemado,
y siento que me muero.
Dios me cerró el paso,
y me hizo retroceder.
Me dejó en el abandono;
mi sufrimiento no tiene fin.
14 Juntó Dios todos mis pecados
y me los ató al cuello.
Ya no me quedan fuerzas;
ya no los soporto más.
Dios me entregó al enemigo,
y no puedo defenderme.
15 En mis calles hay muchos muertos.
¡Dios rechazó a mis valientes!
Juntó un ejército para atacarme,
y acabó con todos mis jóvenes.
Dios me aplastó por completo;
¡me exprimió como a las uvas!
16 Ruedan por mis mejillas
lágrimas que no puedo contener.
Cerca de mí no hay nadie
que me consuele y me reanime.
Mi gente no puede creer
que el enemigo nos haya vencido.
El profeta
17 Un montón de escombros
es ahora Jerusalén.
Suplicante pide ayuda,
pero nadie la consuela.
Dios mismo ordenó
que sus vecinos la atacaran.
Jerusalén
18 Siempre Dios hace lo justo,
pero yo soy muy rebelde.
¡Escuchen, naciones todas!
¡Miren cómo sufro!
¡El enemigo se llevó prisioneros
a todos mis habitantes!
19 Ayuda pedí a mis amigos,
pero me dieron la espalda.
Los jefes y sacerdotes
acabaron perdiendo la vida.
Andaban buscando comida,
y no pudieron sobrevivir.
20 ¡La muerte me quitó a mis hijos
dentro y fuera de la ciudad!
¡Mira mi angustia, Dios mío!
¡Siento que me muero!
¡Tan rebelde he sido contigo
que estoy totalmente confundida!
21 El enemigo no esconde su alegría
porque tú, Dios mío, me haces sufrir.
Todo el mundo escucha mi llanto,
pero nadie me consuela.
¡Ya es tiempo de que los castigues
como me castigaste a mí!
22 No hay un solo pecado
que ellos no hayan cometido;
¡castiga entonces su rebeldía,
como me castigaste a mí!
¡Ya es mucho lo que he llorado,
y siento que me muero!
Traducción en lenguaje actual ® © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 2002, 2004.
enemy / foe
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).
complete verse (Lamentations 1:2)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 1:2:
- Kupsabiny: “Oh no, (it) cries/weeps until morning,
tears flow down in great number,
but not even one of its loved ones come to wipe away for (it) the tears.
All its friends have turned away, oh no.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation) - Newari: “She is sobbing all night long,
tears streaming down her cheeks.
Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed her,
now they have become her enemies.” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “She is like a woman who groans-bitterly for the entire night; her tears flow on her face. No one at-all among her boyfriends comforted her. All her friends have-betrayed her and they became her enemies.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “We weep bitterly all night long,
with tears flowing down our cheeks.
Among the people in all the nations that loved Jerusalem
there are none that comfort us now.
All the rulers of those nations that were previously our allies have betrayed us,
and they are all now enemies of the people of Jerusalem.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Translation commentary on Lamentations 1:2
In this verse the imagery of weeping and tears continues the theme of sorrow. The first two half-lines of the verse are parallel in meaning. The verb weeps is sometimes followed in the second line by the verb “shed tears”; see Jeremiah 13.17, “run down with tears.” Here the second half-line contains only the noun tears. However, the sense is the same as if “shed tears” was used. This movement from a general verb in the first half-line to a more precise expression in the second half-line gives a sense of increasing the force or intensity of the first unit. Translators who seek to translate in poetic terms should follow the rules of poetic style in their own language to provide for intensification within the second half-line, if such intensification is not expressed adequately by the particular selection of words.
She weeps bitterly in the night: bitterly refers to the resentful nature and intensity of her weeping. In the night refers to the extent of her weeping. That is, “she weeps throughout the entire night” or, as Good News Translation says, “all night long she cries.”
Tears on her cheeks represents the picturable or dramatic rephrasing of the first half-line. In simple prose terms the whole unit says “She weeps bitterly all night long so that tears are on her cheeks.” If the translator is unable to retain the repetition of parallelism, it may be possible to replace it here by relating the two similar statements by a logical connective; for example, “Because she cries all night long, her cheeks are wet with her tears.”
The remaining units in verse 2 provide the reason for Jerusalem’s weeping. In some languages it may be necessary to introduce them with “this is because” or “this is the reason.”
Among all her lovers: lovers translates a word which carries the sense of an irregular relation a man has with a woman to whom he is not married. It is used in Ezekiel 16.33 with reference to Jerusalem’s political allies, and in Hosea 2.5 with reference to Israel’s worship of Baal. In the present context it draws attention to Jerusalem’s faithlessness to the LORD, her true husband. Lovers, which is used figuratively, emphasizes Jerusalem’s female image. In some languages it will be necessary to make it clear that lovers refers to a temporary relationship. This may sometimes be expressed as, for example, “her male friends” or “those who made love to her.”
It is also possible to translate lovers as “allies, friends, friendly nations.” If the translator follows Good News Translation “allies,” this may be expressed sometimes as “friendly countries” or “other tribes who were friendly to her.”
None to comfort her: comfort refers to the act of encouraging or cheering someone who has become discouraged or saddened. The thought is sometimes expressed as “strengthen, cheer up, cause to recover.” In many languages to comfort someone who is distressed is expressed idiomatically; for example, “to give them back their heart,” “to make their heart strong again,” “to quiet the shaking of their insides.” This unit may sometimes be rendered “None of her former lovers is able to cheer her up” or “None of those who made love to her will give her new courage.”
All her friends is parallel in meaning with all her lovers and refers to her political allies. Those, of course, are friends she used to have but who are no longer friends, and this may need to be made clear in translation. Dealt treacherously translates a Hebrew verb meaning “to deal faithlessly with” and is used in relation to Israel’s unfaithfulness to the LORD in Hosea 8.9-10; Ezekiel 16.28-29. Good News Translation translates “Her allies have betrayed her.” “Betray” refers to being handed over to someone else’s authority or control, against a person’s own wishes and through a breach of trust. “Betray” is sometimes expressed as “to sell a friend to his enemy” or “to turn one’s face away from a friend.” The poet’s allusion to enemies is probably to 2 Kings 24, in which the LORD sent Babylonians, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites against King Jehoiakim to destroy Judah.
Her enemies: enemies refers to those who are opposed to Jerusalem. These include those who made war against her as well as those who opposed her more passively. Languages do not lack for terms for enemies, but sometimes they express the idea idiomatically; for example, “those who fight against her” or “those who turn away from her.”
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 .
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.
c
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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