Lamentations 4:17 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

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

English 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.

English Amplified

As for us, our eyes yet failed and wasted away in looking for our worthless help. In our watching [on our watchtower] we have watched and waited expectantly for a nation [Egypt or some other one to come to our rescue] that could not save us. [Ezek. 29:16.]

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

As for us, our eyes yet failed and wasted away in looking for our worthless help. In our watching [on our watchtower] we have watched and waited expectantly for a nation [Egypt or some other one to come to our rescue] that could not save us. [Ezek. 29:16.]

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

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.

English CSB 2017 - 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.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

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

English EASY 2024

Our eyes became weak as we watched to see if help would come. We continued to hope for help from another nation. But no nation was able to rescue us.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

We have worn out our eyes looking for help, but no help comes. We kept on looking for a nation to save us. We kept watch from our watchtower, but no nation came to us.

Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save.

English GNT (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.

English God's Word - GW 1995

"We are still straining our eyes, trying in vain to find help. We waited and waited for a nation that didn't save us.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

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.

English KJV 1611

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.

English LSB

Yet our eyes were spent, Looking for help was vanity; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

Our eyes failed us, watching vainly for help; in our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not save us.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Our eyes ever wasted away, looking in vain for aid; From our watchtower we watched for a nation that could not save us.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

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. צ ( Tsade )

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

And that's not all. Our eyes grew tired. We looked for help that never came. We watched from our towers. We kept looking for a nation that couldn't save us.

English NIV

Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.

English NKJ 1982

Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us.

English NLT

We looked in vain for our allies to come and save us, but we were looking to nations that could offer no help at all.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

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

English Passion Translation Bible 2020

We strained our eyes continually and looked, watching for help that never came. From our watchtowers we waited for a nation to help, for a nation that could not save us.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

We look for our allies to come and save us, but we look in vain. The nation we expected most to help us makes no move at all.

English Tyndale 1537

Phe. Wherefore yet our eyes fail us, while we look for vain help: seeing we be ever waiting upon a people, that can do us no good.

Lamentations 4:17 — Compare Translations