Lamentations 4:18-22 New English Translation

צ (Tsade)

¹⁸Our enemies^[a] hunted us down at every step^[b]
so that we could not walk about in our streets.
Our end drew near, our days were numbered,^[c]
for our end had come!

ק (Qof)

¹⁹Those who pursued us were swifter
than eagles^[d] in the sky.^[e]
They chased us over the mountains;
they ambushed us in the wilderness.

ר (Resh)

²⁰Our very life breath—the Lord’s anointed king^[f]—
was caught in their traps,^[g]
of whom we thought,^[h]
“Under his protection^[i] we will survive among the nations.”

ש (Sin/Shin)

The Prophet Speaks

²¹Rejoice and be glad for now,^[j] O people of Edom,^[k]
who reside in the land of Uz.
But the cup of judgment^[l] will pass^[m] to you also;
you will get drunk and take off your clothes.

ת (Tav)

²²O people of Zion,^[n] your punishment^[o] will come to an end;^[p]
he will not prolong your exile.
But, O people of Edom,^[q] he will punish your sin^[r]
and reveal your offenses!

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Footnotes

Lamentations 4:18 tn Heb “they”; this has been specified in the translation as “our enemies” for clarity.
Lamentations 4:18 tn Heb “they hunted our steps.”
Lamentations 4:18 tn Heb “our days were full.”
Lamentations 4:19 tn The bird referred to here could be one of several species of eagles but more likely is the griffin-vulture (cf. NEB “vultures”). However, because eagles are more commonly associated with swiftness than vultures in contemporary English, “eagles” was used in the translation.
Lamentations 4:19 tn Or “in the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky,” depending on the context.
Lamentations 4:20 tn Heb “the anointed one of the Lord.” The term “king” is added in the translation to clarify the referent of the phrase “the Lord’s anointed.”
Lamentations 4:20 tn Heb “was captured in their pits.”
Lamentations 4:20 tn Heb “of whom we had said.”
Lamentations 4:20 tn Heb “under his shadow.” The term צֵל (tsel, “shadow”) is used figuratively here to refer the source of protection from military enemies. In the same way that the shade of a tree gives physical relief and protection from the heat of the sun (e.g., Judg 9:15; Job 40:22; Ps 80:11; Song 2:3; Ezek 17:23; 31:6, 12, 17; Hos 4:13; 14:8; Jon 4:5, 6), a faithful and powerful king can provide “shade” (= protection) from enemies and military attack (Num 14:19; Ps 91:1; Isa 30:2, 3; 49:2; 51:16; Jer 48:45; Lam 4:20).
Lamentations 4:21 tn The phrase “for now” is added in the translation to highlight the implied contrast between the present joy of the Gentiles (4:21a) and their future judgment (4:21b).
Lamentations 4:21 tn Heb “O Daughter of Edom.”
Lamentations 4:21 tn Heb “the cup.” Judgment is often depicted as a cup of wine that God forces a person to drink, causing him to lose consciousness, with red wine drooling out of his mouth. He resembles corpses lying on the ground as a result of the actual onslaught of the Lord’s judgment. The drunkard, reeling and staggering, causing bodily injury to himself, is an apt metaphor to describe the devastating effects of God’s judgment. Just as a cup of poison kills all those who are forced to drink it, the cup of God’s wrath destroys all those who must drink it (e.g., Ps 75:9; Isa 51:17, 22; Jer 25:15, 17, 28; 49:12; 51:7; Lam 4:21; Ezek 23:33; Hab 2:16).
Lamentations 4:21 tn The imperfect verb “will pass” may also be a jussive, continuing the element of request: “let the cup pass…”
Lamentations 4:22 tn Heb “O Daughter Zion.”
Lamentations 4:22 tn Heb “your iniquity.” The noun עָוֹן (ʿavon) has a broad range of meanings, including: (1) iniquity, (2) guilt of iniquity, and (3) consequence or punishment for iniquity (cause-effect metonymical relation). The context suggests that “punishment for sin” is most appropriate here (e.g., Gen 4:13; 19:15; Exod 28:38, 43; Lev 5:1, 17; 7:18; 10:17; 16:22; 17:16; 19:8; 20:17, 19; 22:16; 26:39, 41, 43; Num 5:31; 14:34; 18:1, 23; 30:15; 1 Sam 25:24; 28:10; 2 Sam 14:9; 2 Kgs 7:9; Job 10:14; Pss 31:11; 69:28; 106:43; Prov 5:22; Isa 5:18; 30:13; 40:2; 53:6, 11; 64:5, 6; Jer 51:6; Lam 4:22; 5:7; Ezek 4:4-6, 17; 7:16; 14:10; 18:19-20; 21:30, 34 HT [21:25, 29 ET]; 24:23; 32:27; 35:5; 39:23; 44:10, 12).
Lamentations 4:22 tn Heb “will be completed.” The verb תַּם (tam) is Qal perfect from תָּמַם (tamam, “to be complete”). The translation understands it as an example of the so-called “prophetic perfect,” describing a future event viewed as “complete.” Some would call this “as good as done,” or certain to take place from the viewpoint of the prophet. It has also been viewed as a simple perfect: “your punishment is ended.”
Lamentations 4:22 tn Heb “O Daughter of Edom.”
Lamentations 4:22 tn The noun עָוֹן (ʿavon) is repeated twice in this verse, denoting first “punishment for iniquity” (v. 22a), and then “iniquity” (v. 22b). See a preceding translator’s note on the broad range of meanings for this word. The repetition of the same root with different meanings creates an ironic polysemantic wordplay: Zion’s “punishment” for its sin is about to come to an end, but the punishment for Edom’s “sin” is about to begin.

New English Translation (NET)