Lamentations 1 · Verse 12

Lamentations 1:12

Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
Lamentations 1:12, King James Version

Lamentations 1:12 in other translations

BSBIs this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger?
WEB“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought on me, with which the LORD has afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
ASVIs it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is brought upon me, Wherewith Jehovah hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
YLTIs it nothing to you, all ye passing by the way? Look attentively, and see, If there is any pain like my pain, That He is rolling to me? Whom Jehovah hath afflicted In the day of the fierceness of His anger.
DARBYIs it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, whom Jehovah hath afflicted in the day of his fierce anger.
BBECome to me, all you who go by! Keep your eyes on me, and see if there is any pain like the pain of my wound, which the Lord has sent on me in the day of his burning wrath.
WebsterIs it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which hath fallen upon me, with which the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

What does Lamentations 1:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. The pathetic appeal of Jerusalem, not only to her neighbors, but even to the strangers "passing by," as her sorrow is such as should excite the compassion even of those unconnected with her. She here prefigures Christ, whom the language is prophetically made to suit, more than Jerusalem. Compare Israel, that is, Messiah, Is 49:3. Compare with "pass by," Mt 27:39; Mr 15:29. As to Jerusalem, Da 9:12. M AURER, from the Arabic idiom, translates, "do not go off on your way," that is, stop, whoever ye are that pass by. English Version is simpler. Mem.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? - The desolations and distress brought upon this city and its inhabitants had scarcely any parallel. Excessive abuse of God's accumulated mercies calls for singular and exemplary punishment.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Lamentations 1:12-22
Jerusalem, sitting dejected on the ground, calls on those that passed by, to consider whether her example did not concern them. Her outward sufferings were great, but her inward sufferings were harder to bear, through the sense of guilt. Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow, and must affect the soul. Here we see the evil of sin, and may take warning to flee from the wrath to come. Whatever may be learned from the sufferings of Jerusalem, far more may be learned from the sufferings of Christ. Does he not from the cross speak to every one of us? Does he not say, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Let all our sorrows lead us to the cross of Christ, lead us to mark his example, and cheerfully to follow him.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Lamentations 1:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ל֣וֹאLo'notH3808
אֲלֵיכֶם֮'a.lei.Khemto youH413
כָּל\־kol-O allH3605
עֹ֣בְרֵיoe.rei[those who] pass by ofH5674
דֶרֶךְ֒de.reKh[the] roadH1870
הַבִּ֣יטוּha.Bi.tulookH5027
וּרְא֗וּu.re.'Uand seeH7200
אִם\־'im-ifH518
יֵ֤שׁyeshthereH3426
מַכְאוֹב֙makh.'Ov[is] painH4341
כְּמַכְאֹבִ֔יke.makh.'o.Vilike pain myH4341
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhichH834
עוֹלַ֖לo.Lalit has been doneH5953
לִ֑יLito me
אֲשֶׁר֙'a.SherwhichH834
הוֹגָ֣הho.Gahhe has caused griefH3013
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
בְּי֖וֹםbe.Yomon [the] day ofH3117
חֲר֥וֹןcha.Ron[the] burning ofH2740
אַפּֽוֹ\׃\ \ס'a.Poanger hisH639

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Lamentations 1:12

  • Luke 23:28-31

    But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

  • Daniel 9:12

    And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

  • Jeremiah 18:16

    To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

  • Jeremiah 30:24

    The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

  • Lamentations 4:6-11

    For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. …

  • Lamentations 2:13

    What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

  • Matthew 24:21

    For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

  • Luke 21:22-23

    For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

  • Isaiah 13:13

    Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Is it nothing. or, It is nothing. pass by. Heb. pass bythe way. if. The church in distress here magnifies her affliction; and yet no more than there was cause for her groaning was not heavier than her strokes. She appeals to all spectators--see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow. This might truly be said of the griefs which were suffered in Jerusalem of old; but Christians are apt to apply these words too sensibly and sensitively to themselves, when they are in trouble, and sometimes more than there is reasonable cause to warrant. All men feel most from their own burden, and cannot be persuaded to reconcile themselves to it; how often do thy cry out in the words we are illustrating! whereas, if their troubles were to be thrown into a common stock with those of others, and then an equal dividend made, share and share alike, rather than approve such an arrangement, each would be ready to say, "Pray give me my own again."--Henry.
2:13; 4:6-11; Da 9:12; Mt 24:21; Lu 21:22,23; 23:28-31

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Lamentations 1:11

    All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.

  • Lamentations 1:12

    Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

  • Lamentations 1:13

    From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

Read all of Lamentations 1

Lamentations 1:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿No os conmueve á cuantos pasáis por el camino? Mirad, y ved si hay dolor como mi dolor que me ha venido; porque Jehová me ha angustiado en el día de la ira de su furor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		N’est-ce rien pour vous tous qui passez par le chemin? Contemplez, et voyez s’il est une douleur comme ma douleur qui m’est survenue, à moi que l’ Éternel a affligée au jour de l’ardeur de sa colère.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Merket ihr es nicht alle, die ihr des Weges ziehet? Schauet und sehet, ob ein Schmerz sei wie mein Schmerz, der mir angetan worden, mir, die Jehova betrübt hat am Tage seiner Zornglut.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		O vos omnes qui transitis per viam, attendite, et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus! quoniam vindemiavit me, ut locutus est Dominus, in die iræ furoris sui.