New International Version “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the LORD brought on me in the day of his fierce anger? New Living Translation “Does it mean nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see if there is any suffering like mine, which the LORD brought on me when he erupted in fierce anger. English Standard Version “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger. Berean Standard Bible Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger? Berean Literal Bible Is it nothing to you⁺, all passing by this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain, which has been dealt to me, which YHWH has inflicted in the day of the burning of His anger. King James Bible Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. New King James Version “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger. New American Standard Bible “Is it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain Which was inflicted on me, With which the LORD tormented me on the day of His fierce anger. NASB 1995 “Is it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain Which was severely dealt out to me, Which the LORD inflicted on the day of His fierce anger. NASB 1977 “Is it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain Which was severely dealt out to me, Which the LORD inflicted on the day of His fierce anger. Legacy Standard Bible “Is it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain Which was dealt severely to me, Which Yahweh grieved me with on the day of His burning anger. Amplified Bible “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain Which was severely dealt out to me, Which the LORD has inflicted [on me] on the day of His fierce anger. Berean Annotated Bible Is this nothing to you⁺, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD {YHWH} made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger? Christian Standard Bible Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see! Is there any pain like mine, which was dealt out to me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of his burning anger? Holman Christian Standard Bible Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see! Is there any pain like mine, which was dealt out to me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His burning anger? American Standard Version Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is brought upon me, Wherewith Jehovah hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Contemporary English Version No passerby even cares. Why doesn't someone notice my terrible sufferings? You were fiercely angry, LORD, and you punished me worst of all. English Revised Version Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. GOD'S WORD® Translation "Doesn't this affect all of you who pass by? Look and see if there's any pain like the pain that the LORD has caused me, like the pain that he has made me suffer on the day of his fierce anger. Good News Translation "Look at me!" she cries to everyone who passes by. "No one has ever had pain like mine, Pain that the LORD brought on me in the time of his anger. International Standard Version May it not befall you, all who pass along the road! Look and see: Is there any grief like my grief dealt out to me, by which the LORD afflicted me in the time of his fierce wrath? NET Bible Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by on the road? Look and see! Is there any pain like mine? The Lord has afflicted me, he has inflicted it on me when he burned with anger. New Heart English Bible Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought on me, with which the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Webster's Bible Translation Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which hath fallen upon me, with which the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleIs this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger? World English Bible “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought on me, with which Yahweh has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Literal Translations Literal Standard Version[Is it] nothing to you, all you passing by the way? Look attentively, and see, "" If there is any pain like my pain, "" That He is rolling to me? Whom YHWH has afflicted "" In the day of the fierceness of His anger. Berean Literal Bible Is it nothing to you⁺, all passing by this way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain, which has been dealt to me, which YHWH has inflicted in the day of the burning of His anger. Young's Literal Translation Is it nothing to you, all ye passing by the way? Look attentively, and see, If there is any pain like my pain, That He is rolling to me? Whom Jehovah hath afflicted In the day of the fierceness of His anger. Smith's Literal Translation Nothing to you, all ye passing by the way? Behold, and see if there is pain as my pain, which was done to me with which Jehovah afflicted in the day of the burning of his anger. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleLamed. O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow: for he hath made a vintage of me, as the Lord spoke in the day of his fierce anger. Catholic Public Domain Version LAMED. O all you who pass by the way, attend, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow. For he has made me a vintage, just as the Lord has spoken in the day of his furious anger. New American Bible Come, all who pass by the way, pay attention and see: Is there any pain like my pain, which has been ruthlessly inflicted upon me, With which the LORD has tormented me on the day of his blazing wrath? New Revised Standard Version Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIs it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Understand, and see if there is any pain like my pain, which the LORD has dealt to me; for the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Lamed Is it nothing to all you passersby on the street? Be wise and see if there is pain as my pain that LORD JEHOVAH made for me, and LORD JEHOVAH humiliated me in the day of the heat of his wrath OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Let it not come unto you, all ye that pass by! Behold, and see If there be any pain like unto my pain, Which is done unto me, Wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me In the day of His fierce anger. Brenton Septuagint Translation LAMED. All ye that pass by the way, turn, and see if there is sorrow like to my sorrow, which has happened to me. The Lord who spoke by me has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context How Lonely Lies the City…11All her people groan as they search for bread. They have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O LORD, and consider, for I have become despised. 12Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger? 13He sent fire from on high, and it overpowered my bones. He spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He made me desolate, faint all the day long.… Cross References Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Mark 15:29 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, Matthew 27:39 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads Psalm 22:7 All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: Look around and see! Jeremiah 2:10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this: Psalm 46:8 Come, see the works of the LORD, who brings devastation upon the earth. Deuteronomy 4:32 Indeed, ask now from one end of the heavens to the other about the days that long preceded you, from the day that God created man on earth: Has anything as great as this ever happened or been reported? Is there any sorrow like mine, Jeremiah 30:7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it! It is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved out of it. Job 6:2-3 “If only my grief could be weighed and placed with my calamity on the scales. / For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas—no wonder my words have been rash. Psalm 69:20 Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one. which was inflicted on me, Isaiah 53:4 Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. Psalm 38:2 For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me. Job 19:11 His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies. which the LORD made me suffer Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand. Job 2:10 “You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. Amos 3:6 If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it? on the day of His fierce anger? Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger. Treasury of Scripture Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow, which is done to me, with which the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. is it nothing. Lamentations 2:13 What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee? Lamentations 4:6-11 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 as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her… Daniel 9:12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. Jump to Previous Afflicted Anger Dealt Fallen Fierce Inflicted Pain Severely Sorrow Way WherewithJump to Next Afflicted Anger Dealt Fallen Fierce Inflicted Pain Severely Sorrow Way WherewithLamentations 1 1. The miseries of Jerusalem and of the Jews lamented12. The attention of beholders demanded to this unprecedented case 18. The justice of God acknowledged, and his mercy supplicated. Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Jerusalem is portrayed as a grieving woman calling to travelers who witness her devastation after Babylon destroyed the city in 586 BC. The ruins of homes, walls, and the temple testified that covenant judgment had fallen. Her appeal exposes the hardness of those who can observe suffering without mourning or compassion. Mrk 15:29 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him,… Look around and see! The passersby are summoned to consider the reality of God’s judgment rather than turning away. Jerusalem’s fall warned the nations that the LORD is holy and that persistent rebellion against Him brings real consequences. Seeing rightly requires more than noticing destruction; it calls for sober recognition of sin, judgment, and the need for mercy. Jer 2:10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look;… Is there any sorrow like mine, The loss was immense: the city was burned, the temple was destroyed, many inhabitants were killed, and survivors were carried into exile. Jerusalem had been the center of Israel’s worship and the visible sign of God’s covenant presence among His people. Her unparalleled grief also anticipates Christ, the Man of Sorrows, who bore suffering and rejection before those who looked on without understanding. Jer 30:7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it!… which was inflicted on me, Babylon was the instrument of Jerusalem’s ruin, yet the calamity did not arise merely from military power or political failure. Judah’s long resistance to God, idolatry, injustice, and rejection of prophetic warnings led to the judgment the LORD had announced. Isa 53:4 Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows… which the LORD made me suffer Jerusalem acknowledges the LORD’s sovereign hand in her affliction. God’s discipline was righteous and consistent with the covenant warnings given through Moses. Even in judgment, He did not abandon His purposes for His people, for the exile would not be the final chapter. Deu 32:39 See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me… on the day of His fierce anger? God’s wrath reveals His settled opposition to sin and His faithfulness to His own holiness. The destruction of Jerusalem foreshadows the Day of the LORD, when all evil will be judged. It also magnifies the mercy revealed in Christ, who bore God’s judgment for sinners so that all who trust Him may receive forgiveness and restoration. Isa 13:13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,… Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahTraditionally considered the author of Lamentations, Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet." He laments the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its people. 2. Jerusalem The city that has been destroyed by the Babylonians, serving as the backdrop for the lament. It symbolizes the spiritual and physical desolation experienced by the Israelites. 3. The Passersby These are the people who witness the suffering of Jerusalem but remain indifferent. They represent those who are oblivious to the suffering of others. 4. The LORD's Anger The divine judgment that has come upon Jerusalem due to the people's disobedience and sin. It reflects God's righteousness and justice. 5. The Day of the LORD's Fierce Anger A time of divine retribution and judgment, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the consequences of turning away from God. Teaching Points The Reality of SufferingSuffering is a part of the human experience and can be a result of personal or communal sin. Recognizing this helps us understand the need for repentance and reliance on God's mercy. God's Righteous Judgment God's anger is not arbitrary but a response to sin. It serves as a reminder of His holiness and the seriousness of turning away from His commandments. Empathy and Compassion The indifference of the passersby challenges us to be compassionate and responsive to the suffering around us, reflecting Christ's love and empathy. Hope in Desolation Even in the midst of judgment and suffering, there is hope for restoration. God's ultimate plan is one of redemption and healing for those who turn back to Him. Personal Reflection and Repentance This passage invites us to examine our own lives, recognize areas of disobedience, and seek God's forgiveness and guidance. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Lamentations 1:12?2. How does Lamentations 1:12 highlight the depth of Jerusalem's suffering and sorrow? 3. What can we learn about God's justice from Lamentations 1:12? 4. How does Lamentations 1:12 connect to Christ's suffering on the cross? 5. How should we respond to others' suffering, as seen in Lamentations 1:12? 6. How can Lamentations 1:12 inspire us to seek God's mercy in trials? 7. What is the historical context of Lamentations 1:12? 8. How does Lamentations 1:12 reflect God's judgment on Jerusalem? 9. What theological themes are present in Lamentations 1:12? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Lamentations 1? What Does Lamentations 1:12 Mean Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by?• The prophet stands amid the ruins of Jerusalem and calls out to every onlooker. The question challenges indifferent spectators, echoing Proverbs 24:17–18, which warns against gloating at another’s calamity. • The line also prefigures the scene at the cross, where “those who passed by hurled abuse” (Matthew 27:39), reminding us that apathy toward suffering—whether Judah’s or Christ’s—is itself a moral failure. • On a personal level, the verse invites believers to examine whether we shrug at sin’s consequences in our communities, like the Levite and priest who “passed by on the other side” in Luke 10:31–32. Look around and see! • The lament moves from rhetorical question to urgent plea: open your eyes. Similar imperatives appear in Psalm 46:8 (“Come, behold the works of the LORD”) and Revelation 3:17–18, where the church at Laodicea is told to “buy salve so you can see.” • The call implies that God’s judgments are visible and instructive, not hidden. Romans 1:20 affirms that His attributes are “clearly seen” in creation, and here His justice is clearly seen in devastation. • Application: Notice the spiritual state of our culture, families, and own hearts instead of drifting past the evidence that sin destroys. Is there any sorrow like mine • Jerusalem voices incomparable grief, anticipating the Suffering Servant who says, “A man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). • The uniqueness of the sorrow underscores the severity of covenant breach. Deuteronomy 28:65–67 had warned that disobedience would bring anguish so intense that life itself would seem unbearable. • Christ’s agony in Gethsemane (Mark 14:34) fulfills the ultimate expression of sin-borne sorrow, showing that God Himself entered our incomparable grief. Which was inflicted on me • The passive construction stresses that the calamity is not random; it has an inflictor. Psalm 88:7 uses the same tone: “Your wrath lies heavily upon me.” • This reminds us that divine discipline is purposeful (Hebrews 12:5–11). The city’s wounds are surgical strikes meant to bring repentance, not annihilation. Which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger • The prophet states plainly that God is the Author of the judgment, affirming His sovereign right to correct His people (Amos 3:6). • “The day of His fierce anger” points forward to the Day of the LORD described in Zephaniah 1:14–18 and Revelation 6:17, when unrepentant nations will face the same holy fury. • Even here, hope glimmers: the same LORD who disciplines promises restoration (Jeremiah 29:11) once the lesson is learned. summary Lamentations 1:12 is a piercing call to wake up. Indifference to sin’s consequences, whether in ancient Jerusalem or today, offends a holy God. The verse compels us to notice, feel, and respond to suffering caused by rebellion, recognizing that the LORD Himself orchestrates discipline to draw hearts back to Him. Ultimately, the unmatched sorrow of Jerusalem points to the greater sorrow borne by Christ, who turns judgment into redemption for all who refuse to “pass by” His cross with indifference. (12) Is it nothing to you . . .—Literally, Not to you, ye passers by, which the Authorised version takes as a question. The LXX. and Vulg., however, seem to have taken the adverb as an interjection: “O all ye that pass by . . .” And some interpreters have taken the negative but not the question, “Nor to you . . . (do I say this).” The Authorised version, however, has most to commend it. What the mourning city felt most keenly was that her unparalleled sufferings were met with an unparalleled indifference.Verses 12-22. - The same subject; Jerusalem the speaker. Verse 12. - Is it nothing to you? The Hebrew is very difficult, and the translation therefore insecure. Keil, however, adopts a rendering very near that of the Authorized Version "(Cometh it) not unto you?" i.e. "Do ye not heed it?" Ewald supposes the phrase to be abbreviated from "Do I not call unto you?" (comp. Proverbs 8:4); but this would be a very harsh construction. The Septuagint has Οἱ πρὸς ὑμᾶς; the Targum, "I adjure you;" the Vulgate, O vos; - all apparently pronouncing lu instead of lo. At any rate, the object of the words is to heighten the force of the appeal which follows.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Is this nothingל֣וֹא (lō·w) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to you, אֲלֵיכֶם֮ (’ă·lê·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to all כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every you who pass by? עֹ֣בְרֵי (‘ō·ḇə·rê) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on Look around הַבִּ֣יטוּ (hab·bî·ṭū) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 5027: To scan, look intently at, to regard and see! וּרְא֗וּ (ū·rə·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7200: To see Is there יֵ֤שׁ (yêš) Adverb Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is any sorrow מַכְאוֹב֙ (maḵ·’ō·wḇ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4341: Anguish, affliction like mine, כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔י (kə·maḵ·’ō·ḇî) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 4341: Anguish, affliction which אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that was inflicted עוֹלַ֖ל (‘ō·w·lal) Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5953: To effect thoroughly, to glean, to overdo, maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose on me, לִ֑י (lî) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's Hebrew which אֲשֶׁר֙ (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that the LORD יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel made me suffer הוֹגָ֣ה (hō·w·ḡāh) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3013: To grieve on the day בְּי֖וֹם (bə·yō·wm) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3117: A day of His fierce חֲר֥וֹן (ḥă·rō·wn) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 2740: A burning of anger anger? אַפּֽוֹ׃ (’ap·pōw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire Additonal Resources Lamentations 1:12 Blue Letter BibleLamentations 1:12 Bible Gateway Lamentations 1:12 Bible.com Lamentations 1:12 NIV |
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