In this verse the theme of violent death runs through all three units. In the first unit it has taken the youth and old men. In the second unit the order of subject and verb is the reverse from that in the first unit, a device called chiasmus. For a definition of chiasmus, see the Glossary. This is only partially seen in Revised Standard Version. The thoughts, however, are closely parallel in meaning. The third unit makes clear who has killed the people, and uses different words for “kill” in each half-line. See discussion below.

In the dust of the streets is literally “on the ground in open places,” where streets translates the same word found in the last unit of verse 19, which Good News Translation translates “street corner,” and Revised Standard Version “street.” See comments on verse 19.

Lie the young and the old: the young and the old refers to people of all ages and both sexes. No one escapes. In order to avoid the picture of people lying down to rest in the streets, it may be necessary to say, for example, “Young people and old people alike lie dead in the streets.”

My maidens and my young men: my maidens translates “my virgins.” See note of explanation on 1.4. My is Jerusalem speaking. However, Good News Translation has avoided the first person and thus retains the general sense as in the first unit. Translators may find it is better to do the same rather than introduce my in the second unit. Young men refers to youths who are mature adults but still not married.

Have fallen by the sword is the literal Hebrew text. The Septuagint adds “and by famine,” which New English Bible accepts. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and most translations follow the Hebrew. Fallen by the sword or “killed by enemy swords” (Good News Translation) may require some adjustments in translation, particularly in languages in which the sword is unknown. In some cases an equivalent weapon may be substituted; for example, “The enemy has thrown spears and killed my young men and women.” It is also possible to use a verb which requires the use of a weapon; for example, “The enemy has stabbed my young men and women.” Of course it is also possible to avoid any reference to weapons and say, for example, “The enemy has killed my young men and women.”

In the day of thy anger thou hast slain them: for day of thy anger see 1.12 and 2.1.

Slaughtering without mercy: slaughtering is generally used with reference to killing animals to be eaten as food; but it can also be used figuratively to mean killing many people in a brutal manner, massacring (Psa 37.14), and this understanding is reinforced by without mercy. Another interpretation is that slaughtering as used here is related to the reference in verse 22 to a religious festival. The noun related to this verb is used in Isaiah 34.6, where “sacrifice” and “slaughter” are parallel terms; there the victims are the people of Edom, but here they are the people of Jerusalem. In other words, the poet is saying that the Lord is preparing his sacrificial victims, not bulls or rams, but his own people. Translators may follow either interpretation, and in many languages the translation will not be affected. However, in languages in which slaughtering is not used figuratively for the brutal slaying of enemies, we may have to say simply “killing them brutally.” If there is a special term for killing enemies in war, that term will be appropriate. If without mercy does not indicate a brutal manner, the term may need other descriptive words. For other comments on without mercy, see verse 2.

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 .