In this verse the imagery of weeping and tears continues the theme of sorrow. The first two half-lines of the verse are parallel in meaning. The verb weeps is sometimes followed in the second line by the verb “shed tears”; see Jeremiah 13.17, “run down with tears.” Here the second half-line contains only the noun tears. However, the sense is the same as if “shed tears” was used. This movement from a general verb in the first half-line to a more precise expression in the second half-line gives a sense of increasing the force or intensity of the first unit. Translators who seek to translate in poetic terms should follow the rules of poetic style in their own language to provide for intensification within the second half-line, if such intensification is not expressed adequately by the particular selection of words.
She weeps bitterly in the night: bitterly refers to the resentful nature and intensity of her weeping. In the night refers to the extent of her weeping. That is, “she weeps throughout the entire night” or, as Good News Translation says, “all night long she cries.”
Tears on her cheeks represents the picturable or dramatic rephrasing of the first half-line. In simple prose terms the whole unit says “She weeps bitterly all night long so that tears are on her cheeks.” If the translator is unable to retain the repetition of parallelism, it may be possible to replace it here by relating the two similar statements by a logical connective; for example, “Because she cries all night long, her cheeks are wet with her tears.”
The remaining units in verse 2 provide the reason for Jerusalem’s weeping. In some languages it may be necessary to introduce them with “this is because” or “this is the reason.”
Among all her lovers: lovers translates a word which carries the sense of an irregular relation a man has with a woman to whom he is not married. It is used in Ezekiel 16.33 with reference to Jerusalem’s political allies, and in Hosea 2.5 with reference to Israel’s worship of Baal. In the present context it draws attention to Jerusalem’s faithlessness to the LORD, her true husband. Lovers, which is used figuratively, emphasizes Jerusalem’s female image. In some languages it will be necessary to make it clear that lovers refers to a temporary relationship. This may sometimes be expressed as, for example, “her male friends” or “those who made love to her.”
It is also possible to translate lovers as “allies, friends, friendly nations.” If the translator follows Good News Translation “allies,” this may be expressed sometimes as “friendly countries” or “other tribes who were friendly to her.”
None to comfort her: comfort refers to the act of encouraging or cheering someone who has become discouraged or saddened. The thought is sometimes expressed as “strengthen, cheer up, cause to recover.” In many languages to comfort someone who is distressed is expressed idiomatically; for example, “to give them back their heart,” “to make their heart strong again,” “to quiet the shaking of their insides.” This unit may sometimes be rendered “None of her former lovers is able to cheer her up” or “None of those who made love to her will give her new courage.”
All her friends is parallel in meaning with all her lovers and refers to her political allies. Those, of course, are friends she used to have but who are no longer friends, and this may need to be made clear in translation. Dealt treacherously translates a Hebrew verb meaning “to deal faithlessly with” and is used in relation to Israel’s unfaithfulness to the LORD in Hosea 8.9-10; Ezekiel 16.28-29. Good News Translation translates “Her allies have betrayed her.” “Betray” refers to being handed over to someone else’s authority or control, against a person’s own wishes and through a breach of trust. “Betray” is sometimes expressed as “to sell a friend to his enemy” or “to turn one’s face away from a friend.” The poet’s allusion to enemies is probably to 2 Kings 24, in which the LORD sent Babylonians, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites against King Jehoiakim to destroy Judah.
Her enemies: enemies refers to those who are opposed to Jerusalem. These include those who made war against her as well as those who opposed her more passively. Languages do not lack for terms for enemies, but sometimes they express the idea idiomatically; for example, “those who fight against her” or “those who turn away from her.”
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on Lamentations. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .