48 The words “And I said, ‘Indeed” are not in the text. They have been supplied in the translation to try and help clarify who the speaker is who identifies with the lament of the people.
49 The words “They will wail” are not in the text. They are supplied in the translation to make clear that this is the wailing that will be heard. The destruction is still in the future, but it is presented graphically as though it had already taken place.
50 Heb “How we are ruined!”
51 The order of these two lines has been reversed for English stylistic reasons. The text reads in Hebrew “because we have left our land because they have thrown down our dwellings.” The two clauses offer parallel reasons for the cries “How ruined we are! [How] we are greatly disgraced!” But the first line must contain a prophetic perfect (because the lament comes from Jerusalem) and the second a perfect referring to a destruction that is itself future. This seems the only way to render the verse that would not be misleading.
52 The words “I said” are not in the text. The text merely has “Indeed, yes.” The words are supplied in the translation to indicate that the speaker is still Jeremiah though he now is not talking about the mourning woman but is talking to them. See the notes on for further explanation.
53 It is a little difficult to explain how the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is functioning here. W. L. Holladay (Jeremiah [Hermeneia], 1:) may be correct in seeing it as introducing the contents of what those who call for the mourning women are to say. In this case, Jeremiah picks up the task as representative of the people.
54 Heb “Listen to the word of the Lord.” In this context the “word of the Lord” that they are to listen for is the word of the lament that they are to teach their daughters and neighbors.
55 Heb “Teach … mournful song, and each woman her neighbor lady …”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

let them make haste and raise a wailing over us,

that our eyes may run down with tears

and our eyelids flow with water.

For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion:

‘How we are ruined!

We are utterly shamed,

because we have left the land,

because they have cast down our dwellings.’ ”

Hear, O women, the word of the Lord,

and let your ear receive the word of his mouth;

teach to your daughters a lament,

and each to her neighbor a dirge.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Let them come quickly

and wail over us

till our eyes overflow with tears

and water streams from our eyelids.

The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:

‘How ruined we are!

How great is our shame!

We must leave our land

because our houses are in ruins.’ ”

Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord;

open your ears to the words of his mouth.

Teach your daughters how to wail;

teach one another a lament.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Let them come quickly to raise a lament over us

so that our eyes may overflow with tears,

our eyelids be soaked with weeping.

For a sound of lamentation is heard from Zion:

How devastated we are.

We are greatly ashamed,

for we have abandoned the land;

our dwellings have been torn down.

Now hear the word of the Lord, you women.

Pay attention to the words from his mouth.

Teach your daughters a lament

and one another a dirge,

NLTNew Living Translation

Quick! Begin your weeping!

Let the tears flow from your eyes.

Hear the people of Jerusalem crying in despair,

‘We are ruined! We are completely humiliated!

We must leave our land,

because our homes have been torn down.’ ”

Listen, you women, to the words of the Lord;

open your ears to what he has to say.

Teach your daughters to wail;

teach one another how to lament.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And let them hasten,

and let them lift up wailing over us,

so that our eyes may melt with tears,

and our eyelids may flow with water.

For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion,

‘How we are devastated!

We are very ashamed because we have left the land,

because they have overthrown our dwelling places.’

For hear, O women, the word of Yahweh,

and let your ear receive the word of his mouth,

and teach your daughters a lamentation,

and each woman her neighbor a lament.

KJV 1900King James Version

And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us,

That our eyes may run down with tears,

And our eyelids gush out with waters.

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled!

We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land,

Because our dwellings have cast us out.

Yet hear the word of the Lord, O ye women,

And let your ear receive the word of his mouth,

And teach your daughters wailing,

And every one her neighbour lamentation.

Public Domain