Lamentations 4:17–20
17 oOur eyes failed, ever watching
ovainly for help;
in our watching we watched
for pa nation which could not save.
18 qThey dogged our steps
so that we could not walk in our streets;
rour end drew near; our days were numbered,
for our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were sswifter
than the eagles in the heavens;
they chased us on the mountains;
they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 tThe breath of our nostrils, uthe Lord’s anointed,
was captured vin their pits,
of whom we said, w“Under his shadow
we shall live among the nations.”
Lamentations 4:17–20 — The New International Version (NIV)
17 Moreover, our eyes failed,
looking in vain for help;
from our towers we watched
for a nation that could not save us.
18 People stalked us at every step,
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
for our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than eagles in the sky;
they chased us over the mountains
and lay in wait for us in the desert.
20 The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath,
was caught in their traps.
We thought that under his shadow
we would live among the nations.
Lamentations 4:17–20 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
17 As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help:
In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.
18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets:
Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven:
They pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits,
Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
Lamentations 4:17–20 — New Living Translation (NLT)
17 We looked in vain for our allies
to come and save us,
but we were looking to nations
that could not help us.
18 We couldn’t go into the streets
without danger to our lives.
Our end was near; our days were numbered.
We were doomed!
19 Our enemies were swifter than eagles in flight.
If we fled to the mountains, they found us.
If we hid in the wilderness,
they were waiting for us there.
20 Our king—the Lord’s anointed, the very life of our nation—
was caught in their snares.
We had thought that his shadow
would protect us against any nation on earth!
Lamentations 4:17–20 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
17 Still our eyes failed us,
Watching vainly for our help;
In our watching we watched
For a nation that could not save us.
18 They tracked our steps
So that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near;
Our days were over,
For our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
Than the eagles of the heavens.
They pursued us on the mountains
And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord,
Was caught in their pits,
Of whom we said, “Under his shadow
We shall live among the nations.”
Lamentations 4:17–20 — New Century Version (NCV)
17 Also, our eyes grew tired,
looking for help that never came.
We kept watch from our towers
for a nation to save us.
18 Our enemies hunted us,
so we could not even walk in the streets.
Our end is near. Our time is up.
Our end has come.
19 Those who chased us
were faster than eagles in the sky.
They ran us into the mountains
and ambushed us in the desert.
20 The Lord’s appointed king, who was our very breath,
was caught in their traps.
We had said about him, “We will be protected by him
among the nations.”
Lamentations 4:17–20 — American Standard Version (ASV)
17 Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help:
In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
18 They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets:
Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens:
They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits;
Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.
Lamentations 4:17–20 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
17 Our eyes still failed for our vain help; in our watching, we have watched for a nation that did not save. 18 They hunted our steps, that we could not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens; they chased us hotly upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.
Lamentations 4:17–20 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
17 “We are still straining our eyes, trying in vain to find help.
We waited and waited for a nation that didn’t save us.
18 ⸤The enemy⸥ kept tracking us down,
so we couldn’t even go out into the streets.
Our end was near.
Our time was up.
Our end had come.
19 Those who were hunting us were faster than eagles in the sky.
They chased us in the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.
20 The person the Lord anointed ⸤as king⸥, who is the breath of our life,
was caught in their pits.
We had thought that we would live
in our king’s shadow among the nations.”
Lamentations 4:17–20 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
17 All the while our eyes were failing
as we looked in vain for assistance;
we watched from our towers
for a nation that refused to help.
18 Our steps were closely followed
so that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end drew near; our time ran out.
Our end had come!
19 Those who chased us were swifter
than eagles in the sky;
they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains
and ambushed us in the wilderness.
20 The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life,
was captured in their traps.
We had said about him,
“We will live under his protection among the nations.”
Lamentations 4:17–20 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
17 Our eyes failed, ever watching
vainly for help;
we were watching eagerly
for a nation that could not save.
18 They dogged our steps
so that we could not walk in our streets;
our end drew near; our days were numbered;
for our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than the eagles in the heavens;
they chased us on the mountains,
they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life,
was taken in their pits—
the one of whom we said, “Under his shadow
we shall live among the nations.”
Lamentations 4:17–20 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
17 Still our eyes failed,
looking for our help in vain;
in our watchtower, we kept watch
for a nation that could not save.
18 They hunted our steps,
from walking in our streets;
our end has come near, our days are finished,
our end has come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than the eagles of the heavens;
they chased us on the mountains,
they have set an ambush for us in the desert.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed one of Yahweh,
was captured in their pits;
of whom we said, “In his shadow
we will live among the nations.”
Lamentations 4:17–20 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
17 And that’s not all. Our eyes grew tired.
We looked for help that never came.
We watched from our towers.
We kept looking for a nation that couldn’t save us.
18 People hunted us down no matter where we went.
We couldn’t even walk in our streets.
Our end was near. We only had a few days to live.
Our end had come.
19 Those who were hunting us down were faster
than eagles in the sky.
They chased us over the mountains.
They hid and waited for us in the desert.
20 Zedekiah, the Lord’s anointed king, was our last hope.
But he was caught in their traps.
We thought he would keep us safe.
We expected to continue living among the nations.
Lamentations 4:17–20 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
17 Yet our eyes failed,
Looking for help was useless;
In our watching we have watched
For a nation that could not save.
18 They hunted our steps
So that we could not walk in our streets;
Our end drew near,
Our days were finished
For our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
Than the eagles of the sky;
They chased us on the mountains,
They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the Lord’s anointed,
Was captured in their pits,
Of whom we had said, “Under his shadow
We shall live among the nations.”