96 The Kethib is written בַּלַּיִל (ballayil) a defective spelling for בַּלַּיְלָה (ballaylah, “night”). The Qere reads בַּלַּיְלָה (ballaylah, “night”), which is preserved in numerous medieval Hebrew . The noun בַּלַּיְלָה (ballaylah, “night”) functions as an adverbial accusative of time: “in the night.”
97 Heb “at the head of the watches.”
98 The noun לֵבָב (levav, “heart”) functions here as a metonymy of association for the thoughts and emotions in the heart. The Hebrew לֵבָב (levav) includes the mind so that in some cases the translation “heart” implies an inappropriate division between the cognitive and affective. This context is certainly emotionally loaded, but as part of a series of admonitions to address God in prayer, these emotions are inextricably bound with the thoughts of the mind. The singular “heart” is retained in the translation to be consistent with the personification of Jerusalem (cf. v. 18).
99 The reads אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “the Lord”) here rather than יהוה (YHWH, “the Lord”). See the note at 1:14.
100 Lifting up the palms or hands is a metaphor for prayer.
101 Heb “on account of the life of your children.” The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) refers to the “life” of their dying children (e.g., Lam 2:12). The singular noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”) is used as a collective, as the plural genitive noun that follows makes clear: “your children.”
102 The editors and many commentators suggest that the fourth bicola in 2:19 is a late addition and should be deleted. Apart from the four sets of bicola in 1:7 and 2:19, every stanza in chapters 1–4 consists of three sets of bicola. Heb “who are fainting.”
103 Heb “at the head of every street.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Arise, cry out in the night,

at the beginning of the night watches!

Pour out your heart like water

before the presence of the Lord!

Lift your hands to him

for the lives of your children,

who faint for hunger

at the head of every street.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Arise, cry out in the night,

as the watches of the night begin;

pour out your heart like water

in the presence of the Lord.

Lift up your hands to him

for the lives of your children,

who faint from hunger

at every street corner.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Arise, cry out in the night

from the first watch of the night.

Pour out your heart like water

before the Lord’s presence.

Lift up your hands to him

for the lives of your children

who are fainting from hunger

at the head of every street.

NLTNew Living Translation

Rise during the night and cry out.

Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord.

Lift up your hands to him in prayer,

pleading for your children,

for in every street

they are faint with hunger.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Arise, cry out in the night,

at the beginning of the night watches;

pour out your heart like water,

before the face of the Lord.

Lift to him your hands,

for the life of your children,

who faint in starvation,

at the head of all streets.”

KJV 1900King James Version

Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches

Pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord:

Lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children,

That faint for hunger in the top of every street.

Public Domain