Lamentations 4:17
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
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

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.

Contemporary English Version
Our eyes became weary, hopelessly looking for help from a nation that could not save us.

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

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.

JPS Tanakh 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.

Literal Standard Version
While we exist—consumed are our eyes for our vain help, | In our watchtower we have watched for a nation [that] does not save.

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.

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.

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 Revised Standard Version
Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; we were watching eagerly for a nation that could not save.

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.

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.

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
"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.

Lamentations 1:7
In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands she received no help. Her enemies looked upon her, laughing at her downfall.

Ezekiel 29:6
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.

Ezekiel 29:7
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.


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.

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Consumed Exist Eyes Fail Failed False. Help Moreover Nation Salvation Save Saveth Towers Unable Useless Vain Vainly Wasting Watched Watching Watch-Tower
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Consumed Exist Eyes Fail Failed False. Help Moreover Nation Salvation Save Saveth Towers Unable Useless Vain Vainly Wasting Watched Watching Watch-Tower
Lamentations 4
1. Zion bewails her pitiful estate
13. She confesses her sins
21. Edom is threatened and Zion comforted.














(17) As for us . . .--Better, Still do our eyes waste away, looking for our vain help.

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 while
עוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙ (‘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


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OT Prophets: Lamentations 4:17 Our eyes do yet fail in looking (Lam. La Lm)
Lamentations 4:16
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