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 …”
56 Here Death is personified (treated as though it were a person). Some have seen as possible background to this lament an allusion to Mesopotamian mythology where the demon Lamastu climbs in through the windows of houses and over their walls to kill children and babies.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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.

For death has come up into our windows;

it has entered our palaces,

cutting off the children from the streets

and the young men from the squares.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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.

Death has climbed in through our windows

and has entered our fortresses;

it has removed the children from the streets

and the young men from the public squares.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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,

for Death has climbed through our windows;

it has entered our fortresses,

cutting off children from the streets,

young men from the squares.

NLTNew Living Translation

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.

For death has crept in through our windows

and has entered our mansions.

It has killed off the flower of our youth:

Children no longer play in the streets,

and young men no longer gather in the squares.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

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.

For death has come into our windows,

it has entered into our fortresses,

to cut off the children from the streets,

the young men from the public squares.

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces,

To cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

Public Domain