Lamentations 4:17-19

The People of Jerusalem Lament:

ע (Ayin)

4:17 Our eyes continually failed us

as we looked in vain for help. ¹ 

From our watchtowers we watched

for a nation that could not rescue us.

צ (Tsade)

4:18 Our enemies ²  hunted us down at every step ³ 

so that we could not walk about in our streets.

Our end drew near, our days were numbered, ⁴ 

for our end had come!

ק (Qof)

4:19 Those who pursued us were swifter

than eagles ⁵  in the sky. ⁶ 

They chased us over the mountains;

they ambushed us in the wilderness.

[4:17]  ¹ tn Heb “Our eyes failed in vain for help.”

[4:18]  ² tn Heb “they”; this has been specified in the translation as “our enemies” for clarity.

[4:18]  ³ tn Heb “they hunted our steps.”

[4:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “our days were full.”

[4:19]  ⁵ tn The bird referred to here could be one of several species of eagles, but more likely is the griffin-vulture (cf. NEB “vultures”). However, because eagles are more commonly associated with swiftness than vultures in contemporary English, “eagles” was used in the translation.

[4:19]  ⁶ tn Or “in the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.