This verse continues to describe the reaction of those who see the terrible things that happen to Nineveh. The sight of her destruction is so dreadful that All who look on you will shrink from you or “turn their backs on you” (Jerusalem Bible). Shrink from in this context has the sense of “avoidance,” or even “revulsion and horror.” Therefore this sentence may be translated in many languages as: “And every person who sees you will turn their backs on you because of their disgust (or, revulsion) and say…” or “And all who see you will turn their eyes away because they feel so disgusted. Then they will say….” Translators need to find expressions that describe the actions of people who feel great disgust or revulsion. In some languages this is described by physical actions such as “turn away,” “shrink back,” or similar expressions. All may be rendered “Every person.”

These onlookers then speak and say, Wasted is Nineveh. This is of course a result of being destroyed by the armies which captured the city. These words also give the meaning of the picture language about the treatment of the prostitute in verses 5 and 6. Good News Translation puts this meaning in plain language as “Nineveh lies in ruins.” In some languages it will be necessary to designate Nineveh again as “The city of Nineveh.” Wasted refers to the pile of rubble, wood, and bricks which remains after the city has been torn down by the enemy soldiers. So the phrase Wasted is Nineveh may be rendered as “All the buildings in Nineveh have been destroyed” or “All the buildings in Nineveh lie in ruins.”

The main problem in this verse is to decide where the quotation ends. Some translators end the quotation after this first sentence (Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Others include the next sentence, who will bemoan her? (New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Yet others include the third sentence, whence shall I seek comforters for her? (New American Bible, Good News Translation, Moffatt, Bible en français courant). When the opinions of scholars are so evenly divided, it is very hard to give firm advice to translators. There is, however, one slight argument against the third of these possibilities. This is the fact that the Hebrew text actually says “Where shall I look for anyone to comfort you?” (New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). If these words are included within the quotation, the pronoun I has no real antecedent, and it is also necessary to follow the ancient Greek translation, the Septuagint, and say “her” instead of “you” (see Revised Standard Version footnote). The fact that there is a variation between the Hebrew text and the Greek translation shows that the problem is a very old one. The Hebrew words for “you” and “her” differ by only one letter, and the argument against following the Greek text is not a very strong one. However, the punctuation of the Hebrew text places the main break in the verse after who will bemoan her? and this also tends to support the view that the quotation may not extend to the end of the verse. On the whole, therefore, it seems best to suggest following New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and ending the quotation after who will bemoan her? If this is done, then in the third sentence the pronoun I refers to the LORD, as in verses 5 and 6. In languages which use special pronouns for God and royalty, such a pronoun will then be required. In other languages which do not have special pronouns for God, if the translator decides that God is speaking in the third line, it will be helpful to identify the speaker clearly by saying “From where shall I, the LORD, find…,” or by changing to a statement, “I, the LORD, cannot find anyone to comfort her [Nineveh].” The word bemoan means “to mourn for” or “to weep” as though a person had died.

The meaning of the last two clauses is given in clear modern language in Good News Translation as “Who has any sympathy for her?” and “Who will want to comfort her?” Whether the last sentence is included within the quotation or not, translators should note that the two questions are both rhetorical questions, and both imply the answer “Nobody.” In some languages the meaning may be clearer if these questions are restructured as negative statements, such as “No one has any sympathy for her. I shall find no one to comfort you (or, her)” or “No one will mourn (or, shed tears) for her….”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .