Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. New Living Translation We looked in vain for our allies to come and save us, but we were looking to nations that could not help us. English Standard Version Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save. Berean Standard Bible All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us. King James Bible As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. New King James Version Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us. New American Standard Bible Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; At our observation point we have watched For a nation that could not save. NASB 1995 Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save. NASB 1977 Yet our eyes failed; Looking for help was useless. In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save. Legacy Standard Bible Yet our eyes were spent, Looking for help was vanity; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save. Amplified Bible [And as for us,] yet our eyes failed, Looking in vain for help. Watching [from the towers] we watched For a nation that could not save. Christian Standard Bible All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help; we watched from our towers for a nation that would not save us. Holman Christian Standard Bible All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for assistance; we watched from our towers for a nation that refused to help. American Standard Version Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. Contemporary English Version Our eyes became weary, hopelessly looking for help from a nation that could not save us. English Revised Version Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help; in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. GOD'S WORD® Translation "We are still straining our eyes, trying in vain to find help. We waited and waited for a nation that didn't save us. Good News Translation For help that never came, we looked until we could look no longer. We kept waiting for help from a nation that had none to give. International Standard Version Our eyes failed, searching in vain for hope; we kept watching and looking for a nation that would not help. Majority Standard Bible All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us. NET Bible Our eyes continually failed us as we looked in vain for help. From our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us. New Heart English Bible Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. Webster's Bible Translation As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. World English Bible Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionWhile we exist—consumed are our eyes for our vain help, "" In our watchtower we have watched for a nation [that] does not save. Young's Literal Translation While we exist -- consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation that saveth not. Smith's Literal Translation Continuing, yet our eyes will fail, for our help in vain: in our watching we watched for a nation it will not save us. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAin. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save. Catholic Public Domain Version AIN. While we were still standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively toward a nation that was not able to save. New American Bible Even now our eyes are worn out, searching in vain for help; From our watchtower we have watched for a nation unable to save. New Revised Standard Version Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; we were watching eagerly for a nation that could not save. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThe presence of the LORD has divided them; he will no more regard them; they did not respect the persons of priests, they did not have compassion on the elders. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Pe The Person of LORD JEHOVAH divided them, and he will not continue to gaze at them. Do not accept the persons of the Priests, and to the Elders do not show affection OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917As for us, our eyes do yet fail For our vain help; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save. Brenton Septuagint Translation PHE. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. TSADE. We looked to a nation that could not save. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Distress of Zion…16The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor. 17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us. 18They stalked our every step, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near, our time ran out, for our end had come!… Cross References Jeremiah 37:7-10 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt. / Then the Chaldeans will return and fight against this city. They will capture it and burn it down. / This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves by saying, ‘The Chaldeans will go away for good,’ for they will not! ... Isaiah 30:1-3 “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace. Ezekiel 29:6-7 Then all the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD. For you were only a staff of reeds to the house of Israel. / When Israel took hold of you with their hands, you splintered, tearing all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke, and their backs were wrenched. Psalm 33:16-17 No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength. / A horse is a vain hope for salvation; even its great strength cannot save. Isaiah 31:1-3 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD. / Yet He too is wise and brings disaster; He does not call back His words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers. / But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together. Jeremiah 2:36-37 How impulsive you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria. / Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.” Hosea 14:3 Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion.” Isaiah 20:5-6 Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed. / And on that day the dwellers of this coastland will say, ‘See what has happened to our source of hope, those to whom we fled for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’” Jeremiah 42:19-22 The LORD has told you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for sure that I have warned you today! / For you have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’ / For I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in all He has sent me to tell you. ... 2 Kings 18:21 Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. Psalm 146:3-4 Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save. / When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish. Isaiah 36:6 Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. Jeremiah 3:23 Surely deception comes from the hills, and commotion from the mountains. Surely the salvation of Israel is in the LORD our God. Ezekiel 17:15-18 But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’ / ‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. / Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. ... Isaiah 31:8-9 “Then Assyria will fall, but not by the sword of man; a sword will devour them, but not one made by mortals. They will flee before the sword, and their young men will be put to forced labor. / Their rock will pass away for fear, and their princes will panic at the sight of the battle standard,” declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem. Treasury of Scripture As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. our eyes Lamentations 1:19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls. 2 Kings 24:7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt. Isaiah 20:5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. for a. Jump to Previous Consumed Exist Eyes Fail Failed False. Help Moreover Nation Salvation Save Saveth Towers Unable Useless Vain Vainly Wasting Watched Watching Watch-TowerJump to Next Consumed Exist Eyes Fail Failed False. Help Moreover Nation Salvation Save Saveth Towers Unable Useless Vain Vainly Wasting Watched Watching Watch-TowerLamentations 4 1. Zion bewails her pitiful estate13. She confesses her sins 21. Edom is threatened and Zion comforted. Moreover, our eyes failed The phrase "our eyes failed" conveys a deep sense of exhaustion and despair. In the Hebrew text, the word for "failed" is "כָּלָה" (kalah), which can mean to be at an end or to be consumed. This reflects the utter depletion of hope and strength among the people of Jerusalem. Historically, this period was marked by the Babylonian siege, where the inhabitants were physically and emotionally drained. Spiritually, this can be seen as a metaphor for the futility of relying on human strength and wisdom instead of God. looking in vain for help we watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us In our watching.--Better, upon our watch-tower. (Comp. Habakkuk 2:1.) The people of Judah are represented as looking out for the approach of an ally, probably Egypt (Jeremiah 37:7), and looking in vain. Verse 17. - As for us, our eyes, etc.; rather (correcting the reading of the first word), Our eyes were still wasting away (as we looked) for our help in vain. To the very last the Jews leaned on "that broken reed," Egypt (Isaiah 36:6); how vain that hope would be Jeremiah had already told them (Jeremiah 37:7, 8). In our watching; i.e. earnestly and continually; or, on our watchtower.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew All the whileעוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙ (‘ō·w·ḏê·nū) Adverb | first person common plural Strong's 5751: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more our eyes עֵינֵ֔ינוּ (‘ê·nê·nū) Noun - cdc | first person common plural Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain were failing תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה (tiḵ·le·nāh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent as we looked in vain הָ֑בֶל (hā·ḇel) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory for אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to help. עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ (‘ez·rā·ṯê·nū) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural Strong's 5833: Help, helper, assistance We watched בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ (bə·ṣip·pî·yā·ṯê·nū) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural Strong's 6822: To lean forward, to peer into the distance, to observe, await from our towers צִפִּ֔ינוּ (ṣip·pî·nū) Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common plural Strong's 6822: To lean forward, to peer into the distance, to observe, await for אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to a nation גּ֖וֹי (gō·w) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts [that] could not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no save us. יוֹשִֽׁעַ׃ (yō·wō·ši·a‘) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor Links Lamentations 4:17 NIVLamentations 4:17 NLT Lamentations 4:17 ESV Lamentations 4:17 NASB Lamentations 4:17 KJV Lamentations 4:17 BibleApps.com Lamentations 4:17 Biblia Paralela Lamentations 4:17 Chinese Bible Lamentations 4:17 French Bible Lamentations 4:17 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Lamentations 4:17 Our eyes do yet fail in looking (Lam. La Lm) |