some literal meaning; it is enough to recognize that it says the heavens also are affected by the catastrophe; cf. Isa. 13:13*; 34:4*; Hag. 2:6*. The situation would be very different if one were not to follow the emendation that changes this reading from עַם (people) to עִם (together with). Then, with Rudolph (1), one would have to translate this something like: “The most highly placed of the peoples of the earth pine away” (Gk: ἐπένθησαν οἱ ὑψηλοὶ τῆς γῆς, “the high ones of the earth mourn”).