These two verses are taken together because they consist of three statements parallel in structure, each with an imperative verb followed by a vocative form, that is a noun naming who or what the imperative is addressed to. As Driver recognized, this marks a significant break from the previous paragraph. Since there is no general agreement about the interpretation of the symbolic places and trees, translators have a duty to preserve the imagery rather than to try to explain it. This means that in this section a translation cannot avoid being rather literal.

Open your doors, O Lebanon: In many languages the vocative form normally comes at the beginning of the clause or sentence, and translators may need to make that adjustment in this and the following sentences. Lebanon refers to a geographical region rather than a clearly defined political unit. In some languages it may be necessary to say “land [or, region/district] of Lebanon.” If it would sound strange to address a territory in this way, then it may be helpful to add a footnote to explain that Lebanon stands for a political person or power that cannot be identified with certainty. Or else translators may say “People of Lebanon.” Open your doors is a metaphor conveying the sense that the people of Lebanon should not resist what is going to happen. If the metaphor open your doors will sound strange in a translator’s language, it may be necessary to say something like “People of Lebanon, don’t resist [or, stand in the way of] what will happen.” However, it is best to keep the metaphor if at all possible.

That the fire may devour your cedars: Scholars do not agree on whether this speaks literally of burning the magnificent cedar trees of Lebanon or figuratively of a successful attack by an enemy army. If an attack is intended, we cannot identify any historical event that fits with it. In view of the uncertainty, translators should keep the figure of speech if they can. In many languages it will be possible to speak of a fire “devouring” a forest, but if such an expression is unacceptable, then it may be necessary to develop the metaphor of the fire, and say “burn” (as Good News Translation). It may even be necessary to use a nonfigurative term like “destroy.” For example, Contemporary English Version has “Let the fire come in to destroy your cedar trees.” In areas where cedars are not known, there may be a related species of conifer that could be used instead, especially if it is commercially valuable and does not require an environment impossible in the Lebanon region. The cedar tree is mentioned over 70 times in the Old Testament, and it is desirable to be consistent in these different places. In some languages it may be necessary to use an explanatory phrase for cedars, such as “large [or, valuable] trees.” Or else it may be necessary to borrow a term from a major language of the area and to add the term for “tree”; for example, “sida tree” or “kedari tree.”

Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen: Wail is a rather old-fashioned term in English meaning to cry out to express sorrow. A cypress is another kind of tree common in the Lebanon area. It is neither as large nor as valuable as the cedar. There is some doubt about which type of tree is meant by the Hebrew word, and modern versions vary in their choice of an English word. Most have cypress, but Moffatt, Knox, New International Version, and New English Bible/ Revised English Bible have “pine” and New Jerusalem Bible “juniper.” It is some kind of evergreen tree whose wood is useful. If cypress trees are unknown, translators may substitute a related species of pine tree (which they should use consistently), or may borrow the word “cypress” and describe it in a footnote or the glossary. Some American editions of Contemporary English Version have “cyprus” instead of “cypress” at this point, but this is merely a curious misprint, not the name of a different tree!

The verb has fallen is taken by some scholars to refer to cutting down rather than burning the cedars; but in a highly figurative passage it seems possible that the meaning is general, and the statement refers to the destruction of the cedars without particular reference to the means. However, to contrast with ruined in the next line, it will probably be better to use fallen in this present line, as do Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, and Contemporary English Version.

For the glorious trees are ruined: The Hebrew does not contain any word equivalent to trees, so that some versions render the glorious trees as “the mighty ones” (Jerusalem Bible) or “the majestic ones” (New Jerusalem Bible). This could be understood as a statement parallel with the previous one and referring in this context to the cedar trees. Other versions such as New American Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh simply have “the mighty,” which is more likely to be understood as referring to people, presumably people leading the defense against the attackers. It seems simplest to assume that the reference continues to be to the trees, so translators are advised to follow Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others in this respect.

Wail, oaks of Bashan: Oaks are also trees producing a strong and valuable wood. They are mentioned over 20 times in the Bible. If these trees are not known, translators may either use a general descriptive phrase, such as “large [or, tall/shady] trees,” or they may borrow a term from a major language of the area. Bashan is an area to the east of the Jordan River and is also mentioned as a place notable for oak trees in Isa 2.13; Ezek 27.6.

For the thick forest has been felled: The word translated thick or “dense” (Good News Translation) is taken by a number of scholars to be related to a Hebrew root meaning “fortified” or “inaccessible,” and thus several versions render it as “impenetrable” (New American Bible, New English Bible/ Revised English Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible). The logic of the sentence seems to be that if even the thickest forests were cut down, then the oaks of Bashan, where the country was more open, should Wail because they could be certain that they would also suffer the same fate. The word for felled is literally “come down,” but cutting rather than the burning of verse 1 seems to be in view. The more general term “laid low” is preferred by New English Bible/ Revised English Bible. In languages that do not use the passive, translators may say for the last two lines, for example, “Cry [or, Weep], you oak trees in Bashan, because people [or, enemies] have cut the dense forest down.”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .