Lamentations 1:16

KJV1611 – Modern English

For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י ׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס

Transliteration

Upon-ʾēlleh ʾănî ḇôḵîyāh, my ʿênî my ʿênî yōrəḏāh mayim, kî-rāḥaq from me mənaḥēm mēšîḇ my nap̄šî; hāyû my ḇānay šômēmîm, kî ḡāḇar ʾôyēḇ.

Grammar Details

• *ʿal*: preposition - upon/because of
• *ʾēlleh*: demonstrative pronoun - these
• *ʾănî*: 1st singular personal pronoun - I
• *ḇôḵîyāh*: qal participle, feminine singular - weeping
• *ʿênî*: noun, feminine singular with 1st singular suffix - my eye
• *yōrəḏāh*: qal participle, feminine singular - running down
• *mayim*: noun, masculine plural - water
• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *rāḥaq*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he is far
• *mimmennî*: preposition with 1st singular suffix - from me
• *mənaḥēm*: piel participle, masculine singular - comforter
• *mēšîḇ*: hifil participle, masculine singular construct - restorer of
• *nap̄šî*: noun, feminine singular with 1st singular suffix - my soul
• *hāyû*: qal perfect, 3rd plural - they became
• *ḇānay*: noun, masculine plural with 1st singular suffix - my children
• *šômēmîm*: qal participle, masculine plural - desolate
• *ḡāḇar*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he prevailed
• *ʾôyēḇ*: qal participle, masculine singular - enemy

Word Meanings

• *ḇôḵîyāh*: weeping/crying
• *ʿênî ʿênî yōrəḏāh mayim*: my eye, my eye runs down with water/my eyes shed streams of tears
• *rāḥaq*: is far/is distant/has gone away
• *mənaḥēm mēšîḇ nap̄šî*: comforter who restores my soul/consoler who revives my spirit
• *ḇānay*: my children/my sons
• *šômēmîm*: desolate/devastated/stunned
• *ḡāḇar*: prevailed/was stronger/overcame
• *ʾôyēḇ*: enemy/foe/adversary

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  "Because of these things I weep; my eyes, my eyes flow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desote, because the enemy prevailed.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For these things I weep;{H1058} mine eye,{H5869} mine eye{H5869} runneth down{H3381} with water;{H4325} Because the comforter{H5162} that should refresh{H7725} my soul{H5315} is far{H7368} from me: My children{H1121} are desolate,{H8074} because the enemy{H341} hath prevailed.{H1396}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For these things I weep{H1058}{(H8802)}; mine eye{H5869}, mine eye{H5869} runneth down{H3381}{(H8802)} with water{H4325}, because the comforter{H5162}{(H8764)} that should relieve{H7725}{(H8688)} my soul{H5315} is far{H7368}{(H8804)} from me: my children{H1121} are desolate{H8074}{(H8802)}, because the enemy{H341}{(H8802)} prevailed{H1396}{(H8804)}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Therfore do I wepe, and myne eyes gusshe out of water: for the coforter that shulde quycken me, is farre fro me. My children are dryuen awaye, for why? the enemie hath gotten the ouer honde.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For these things I weepe: mine eye, euen mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me: my children are desolate, because the enemie preuailed.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Therfore do I weepe, and mine eyes gushe out of water: for the comfort that shoulde quicken me is farre fro me, my children are driuen away: for why? the enemie hath gotten the vpper hande.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  For these [things] I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water; Because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  For these I am weeping, My eye, my eye, is running down with waters, For, far from me hath been a comforter, Refreshing my soul, My sons have been desolate, For mighty hath been an enemy.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; Because the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; Because the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For these things I am weeping; my eye is streaming with water; because the comforter who might give me new life is far from me: my children are made waste, because the hater is strong.

• World English Bible (2000)

  For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water; Because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  ע(Ayin) I weep because of these things; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one in sight who can comfort me or encourage me. My children are desolated because an enemy has prevailed.

Referenced Verses

• Lam 1:2 : 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she has none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies.
• Jer 13:17 : 17 But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and my eye shall weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock is taken captive.
• Jer 14:17 : 17 Therefore, you shall speak this word to them: 'Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.'
• Lam 3:48-49 : 48 My eye pours out rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49 My eye flows ceaselessly, without intermission,
• Lam 2:11 : 11 My eyes fail with tears, my heart is troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and infants faint in the streets of the city.
• Lam 2:18 : 18 Their heart cried to the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give yourself no rest; let not the apple of your eye cease.
• Lam 2:20-22 : 20 Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom You have done this. Shall the women eat their offspring, the children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord? 21 The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men have fallen by the sword; You have slain them in the day of Your anger; You have killed, and not pitied. 22 You have called as on a solemn day my terrors all around, so that in the day of the Lord's anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have nurtured and brought up my enemy has consumed.
• Lam 4:2-9 : 2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they regarded as clay pots, the work of the hands of the potter! 3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones; the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4 The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it for them. 5 Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets; those who were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. 7 Her Nazirites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their appearance was like sapphire. 8 Their appearance is blacker than coal; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin clings to their bones; it has withered, it has become like a stick. 9 Those slain by the sword are better than those who die by hunger; for these waste away, stricken for want of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
• Hos 9:12 : 12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left; yes, woe also to them when I depart from them!
• Luke 19:41-44 : 41 And when he came near, he saw the city and wept over it, 42 Saying, If you had known, even you, at least in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will build an embankment around you and surround you and enclose you on every side, 44 And will level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.
• Rom 9:1-3 : 1 I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 That I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
• Lam 1:5-6 : 5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children have gone into captivity before the enemy. 6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes have become like deer that find no pasture, and they have gone without strength before the pursuer.
• Lam 1:9 : 9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she does not remember her last end; therefore she came down astonishingly: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself.
• Ps 69:20 : 20 Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
• Ps 119:136 : 136 Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law.
• Eccl 4:1 : 1 So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.
• Jer 9:1 : 1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
• Jer 9:10 : 10 For the mountains I will take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; they are gone.
• Jer 9:21 : 21 For death has climbed up into our windows, and has entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the streets.