Lamentations 3:28

י (Yod) Let a person ¹  sit alone in silence, when the Lord ²  is disciplining him. ³ 

Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him.

Let him sit alone and be silent Since He has laid it on him.

Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD’s demands.

When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence.

Let him be seated by himself, saying nothing, because he has put it on him.

to sit alone in silence when the Lord has imposed it,

Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him;

י (Yod) Let a person ¹  sit alone in silence, when the Lord ²  is disciplining him. ³ 

¹ tn Heb “him.” The speaking voice in this chapter continues to be that of the גֶּבֶר (gever, “man”). The image of female Jerusalem in chs. 1-2 was fluid, being able to refer to the city or its inhabitants, both female and male. So too the “defeated soldier” or “everyman” (see note at 3:1 on “man”) is fluid and can represent any member of the Jewish community, male and female. This line especially has a proverbial character which can be extended to any person, hence the translation. But masculine pronouns are otherwise maintained reflecting the Hebrew grammatical system and the speaking voice of the poem.

² tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Heb “has laid it on him.” The verb נָטַל (natal) is used 4 times in Biblical Hebrew; the related noun refers to heaviness or a burden. The entry of BDB 642 s.v. is outdated while HALOT 694 s.v. נטל is acceptable for the Qal. See D. R. Hillers, Lamentations (AB), 57. Hillers’ suggestion of a stative meaning for the Qal is followed here, though based on 2 Sam 24:12 “impose” is also possible.