The Meaning of Lamentations 4:17 Explained

Lamentations 4:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: While we exist -- consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation that saveth not.

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

ASV: Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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]. 

What does Lamentations 4:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Jerusalemites had looked for help to appear and save them, but none came either from man or from God. Their expectation that another nation might come to their aid, such as Egypt, proved vain (cf. Jeremiah 37:7).

Chapter Summary: Lamentations 4

1  Zion bewails her pitiful estate
13  She confesses her sins
21  Edom is threatened and Zion comforted

What do the individual words in Lamentations 4:17 mean?

Still us failed our eyes for our help [Watching] vainly in our watching we watched a nation not [that] could save [us] -
[עודינה] (עוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙) תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה עֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֶל־ עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ הָ֑בֶל בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ צִפִּ֔ינוּ גּ֖וֹי לֹ֥א יוֹשִֽׁעַ ס

[עודינה]  Still 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine plural
Root: אֲבֹוי  
Sense: Oh!, Woe!, (exclamation of pain—indicates desire or uneasiness).
(עוֹדֵ֙ינוּ֙)  us 
Parse: Adverb, first person common plural
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: still, while, yet.
תִּכְלֶ֣ינָה  failed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
עֵינֵ֔ינוּ  our  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common plural
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
עֶזְרָתֵ֖נוּ  our  help 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: עֶזְרָה  
Sense: help, succour, assistance.
הָ֑בֶל  [Watching]  vainly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֶבֶל  
Sense: vapour, breath.
בְּצִפִּיָּתֵ֣נוּ  in  our  watching 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
צִפִּ֔ינוּ  we  watched 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
גּ֖וֹי  a  nation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
יוֹשִֽׁעַ  [that]  could  save  [us] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation