King James Version

Lamentations 4:17

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.

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Hebrew

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עודינהvdynhagainעוֹדadverb, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, plural — “again”H5750properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, moreagain, [idiom] all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), [idiom] once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).עוֹדֵ֨ינוּ֙odeynvagainעוֹדadverb, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “again”H5750properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, moreagain, [idiom] all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), [idiom] once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).תִּכְלֶ֣ינָהtikhleynahceaseכָּלָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, plural — “cease”, an unfinished actionH3615to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare, consume)accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when... were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, [idiom] fully, [idiom] have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make cle…עֵינֵ֔ינוּeyneynveye , , -sightעַיִןnoun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּezratenvhelpעֶזְרָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “help”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5833aidhelp(-ed, -er).הָ֑בֶלhavelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּbetsipiyatenvin watchingצְפִיָּהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “in watching”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6836watchfulnesswatching.צִפִּ֔ינוּtsipinvbeholdצָפָהverb, piel, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “behold”, a completed actionH6822properly, to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance; by implication, to observe, awaitbehold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the) watch(-man).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).גּ֖וֹיgoyGentileגּוֹיnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Gentile”, the ordinary formH1471a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locustsGentile, heathen, nation, people.לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יוֹשִֽׁעַyoshiabe safeיָשַׁעverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be safe”, an unfinished actionH3467properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor[idiom] at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save(-iour), get victory.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

As for us, our eyes do yet fail for our vain help; in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could 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.

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.

Darby Translation

Our eyes still failed for our vain help; in our watching, we have watched for a nation that did not save.

Douay-Rheims

Ain. 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.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

As 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’s Septuagint (1851), English

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.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ΦΗ. Ἔτι ὄντων ἡμῶν ἐξέλιπον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν, εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν ἡμῶν μάταια ἀποσκοπευόντων ἡμῶν.