Lamentations 1:12

12 A! all ye that pass by the way, perceive, and see, if any sorrow is as my sorrow; for he gathered away (my) grapes from me, as the Lord spake in the day of wrath of his strong vengeance. (O! all ye who go on the way, look, and see, if there is any sorrow like my sorrow; for he hath afflicted me, like the Lord said that he would, on the day of the wrath of his strong vengeance.)

Lamentations 1:12 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 1:12

[Is it] nothing to you, all ye that pass by?
&c.] O ye strangers and travellers that pass by, and see my distress, does it not at all concern you? does it not in the least affect you? can you look upon it, and have no commiseration? or is there nothing to be learned from hence by you, that may be instructive and useful to you? Some consider the words as deprecating; may the like things never befall you that have befallen me, O ye passengers; be ye who ye will; I can never wish the greatest stranger, much less a friend, to suffer what I do; nay, I pray God they never may: others, as adjuring. So the Targum,

``I adjure you, all ye that pass by the way, turn aside hither:''

or as calling; so the words may be rendered, "O all ye that pass by" {y}; and Sanctius thinks it is an allusion to epitaphs on tombs, which call upon travellers to stop and read the character of the deceased; what were his troubles, and how he came to his end; and so what follows is Jerusalem's epitaph: behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is
done unto me;
as it is natural for everyone to think their own affliction greatest, and that none have that occasion of grief and sorrow as they have; though there is no affliction befalls us but what is common unto men; and when it comes to be compared with others, perhaps will appear lighter than theirs: wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger;
signifying, that her affliction was not a common one; it was not from the hand of man only, but from the hand of God; and not in the ordinary way of his providence; but as the effect of his wrath and fury, in all the fierceness of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (lk Mkyla awl) "O vos omnes", V. L.

Lamentations 1:12 In-Context

10 The enemy put his hand to all the desirable things thereof; for it saw heathen men entered into thy saintuary, of which thou haddest commanded, that they should not enter into thy church. (The enemy put his hands onto all its desirable things; and it saw the heathen go into thy Temple, of whom thou haddest commanded, that they should never enter into thy congregation.)

11 All the people thereof was wailing and seeking bread, they gave all precious things for meat, to strengthen the soul; (and the city saith,) See thou, Lord, and behold, for I am made vile. (All its people were wailing and seeking bread, they gave all precious things for food, to strengthen, or to feed, themselves; and the city saith, See thou, Lord, and behold, for I am made vile.)

12 A! all ye that pass by the way, perceive, and see, if any sorrow is as my sorrow; for he gathered away (my) grapes from me, as the Lord spake in the day of wrath of his strong vengeance. (O! all ye who go on the way, look, and see, if there is any sorrow like my sorrow; for he hath afflicted me, like the Lord said that he would, on the day of the wrath of his strong vengeance.)

13 From on high he sent fire in(to) my bones, and taught me; he spreaded abroad a net to my feet, he turned me aback; he setted me desolate, meddled together all day with mourning (he left me desolate, mixed together with mourning, all day long).

14 The yoke of my wickednesses watched in the hand of him, those be folded together, and put on my neck; my strength is made feeble; the Lord gave me in(to) the hand, from which I shall not be able to rise. (He watched my wickednesses, and he folded them together like a yoke, and put them about my neck; my strength is made feeble, or weak; the Lord gave me into their hands, from whom I shall not be able to escape.)