Lamentations 1:21–22

Footnotes

1. 126 The reads שָׁמְעוּ (sham’u, “They heard”), Qal perfect 3rd person common plural from שָׁמַע (shama’, “to hear”). The ἀκούσατε (akousate) reflects the vocalization שִׁמְעוּ (shim’u, “Hear!”), Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural from שָׁמַע (shama’, “to hear”). Internal evidence favors the . Elsewhere in Lamentations, personified Jerusalem urges God with singular imperatives (“Look! See!”); however, nowhere else is a plural imperative used. In fact, the Qal perfect 3rd person common plural form שָׁמְעוּ (sham’u, “They hear”) appears in the following line. The referent of שָׁמְעוּ (sham’u) is the enemy who has destroyed Jerusalem and now mocks her when they hear her laments. The vocalization is undoubtedly original. Most English versions follow the : “They hear” (, , , , , ); but several follow the and revocalize the text as an imperative: “Hear!” (, , ).
2. 127 “You” here and in the following line refers to the Lord.
3. 128 Heb “that You have done it.”
4. 129 The verb הֵבֵאתָ (heve’ta) Hiphil perfect 2nd person masculine singular from בּוֹא (bo’, “to bring” in the Hiphil) probably functions, not as a simple past-time perfect, but as a precative perfect, an unusual volitional nuance similar to the imperative of request. The precative is used in reference to situations the speaker prays for and expects to be realized; it is a prayer or request of confidence (e.g., 2 Sam 7:29; Job 21:16; 22:18; Pss 3:8; 4:2; 7:7; 22:22; 31:5–6; 71:3; Lam 1:21). See §30.5.4c, d. This volitional precative nuance is reflected in the which translates this verb using an imperative. Most English versions adopt the precative nuance: “Bring on the day you have announced” (), “Oh, that Thou wouldst bring the day which Thou hast proclaimed” (), “May you bring the day you have announced” (), “Bring the day you promised” (), “Oh, bring on them what befell me!” (), “Hurry and punish them, as you have promised” (). A few English versions adopt a prophetic perfect future-time nuance: “thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called” (, , ).
5. 130 The term יוֹם (yom, “day”) is often used as a metonymy of association, standing for the event associated with that particular time period: judgment (e.g., Isa 2:12; 13:6, 9; Jer 46:10; Lam 2:22; Ezek 13:5; 30:3; Amos 5:18, 20; Obad 15; Zeph 1:7, 14; Zech 14:1; Mal 3:23) ( 399 3).
6. 131 Heb “proclaimed.”
7. 132 Heb “and.” Following a volitive use of the perfect, the vav (ו) prefixed to וְיִהְיוּ (véyihyu, “and let it be!”) introduces a purpose/result clause in a dependent volitive construction: “so that they may be like me!”
8. 133 Heb “that they be like me.”
9. 134 For the nuance “afflict” see the note at .
10. 135 For the nuance “afflict” see the note at .
11. 136 The parallel statements “afflict them” and “just as you have afflicted me” in the translation mirror the Hebrew wordplay between עוֹלֵל לָמוֹ (’olel lamo, “May you deal with them”) and עוֹלַלְתָּ לִי (’olalta li, “you dealt with me”).
12. 137 Heb “all my rebellions,” that is, “all my rebellious acts.”
13. 138 Heb “is sorrowful” or “is faint.” The adjective דַוָּי (davvay, “faint”) is used in reference to emotional sorrow (e.g., Isa 1:5; Lam 1:22; Jer 8:18). The cognate Aramaic term means “sorrow,” and the cognate term refers to “misery” ( *דְּוַי). The related Hebrew adjective דְּוַה (dévah) means “(physically) sick” and “(emotionally) sad,” while the related Hebrew verb דָּוָה (davah) means “to be sad” due to menstruation. The more literal English versions fail to bring out explicitly the nuance of emotional sorrow and create possible confusion whether the problem is simply loss of courage: “my heart is faint” (, , , , , , ). The more paraphrastic English versions explicate the emotional sorrow that this idiom connotes: “my heart is sick” (), “I am sick at heart” (), and “I’ve lost all hope!” ().