The Meaning of Lamentations 1:16 Explained

Lamentations 1:16

KJV: For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

YLT: For these I am weeping, My eye, my eye, is running down with waters, For, far from me hath been a comforter, Refreshing my soul, My sons have been desolate, For mighty hath been an enemy.

Darby: For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water: for the comforter that should revive my soul is far from me; my children are desolate, for the enemy hath prevailed.

ASV: For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; Because the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For these [things] I weep;  mine eye,  mine eye  runneth down  with water,  because the comforter  that should relieve  my soul  is far  from me: my children  are desolate,  because the enemy  prevailed. 

What does Lamentations 1:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jerusalem cried because of her condition and because no one sought to comfort or strengthen her (cf. Lamentations 1:12). The people were desolate because Jerusalem"s enemy had prevailed.

Chapter Summary: Lamentations 1

1  The miseries of Jerusalem and of the Jews lamented
12  The attention of beholders demanded to this unprecedented case
18  The justice of God acknowledged, and his mercy supplicated

What do the individual words in Lamentations 1:16 mean?

For these [things] I weep My eye my eye overflows with water because is far from me the comforter who should restore my life are My children desolate because prevailed the enemy -
עַל־ אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י ׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־ רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב ס

אֵ֣לֶּה ׀  these  [things] 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
בוֹכִיָּ֗ה  weep 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.
עֵינִ֤י ׀  My  eye 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
עֵינִי֙  my  eye 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יֹ֣רְדָה  overflows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
מַּ֔יִם  with  water 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
רָחַ֥ק  is  far 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
מִמֶּ֛נִּי  from  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
מְנַחֵ֖ם  the  comforter 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
מֵשִׁ֣יב  who  should  restore 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
נַפְשִׁ֑י  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
בָנַי֙  My  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים  desolate 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמֵם  
Sense: to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy.
כִּ֥י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
גָבַ֖ר  prevailed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּבַר  
Sense: to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great.
אוֹיֵֽב  the  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation