Lamentations 3:49 — Word Study
WLCעֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃
BSAMy eyesʻayin [the sources of my tears] overflownâgar■ [pours down, trickles] unceasinglylôʼ [without any intermission, continually] withoutʼayin reliefhăphugâh△ [no rest, no cessation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עֵינִ֧י | eye my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| נִגְּרָ֛ה | it has poured itself | Verb, Niphal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| וְלֹ֥א | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| תִדְמֶ֖ה | it will cease | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| מֵאֵ֥ין | from not | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃ | stop | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | My eyes overflow unceasingly, without relief, |
| KJV | Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, |
| ASV | Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, |
| YLT | Mine eye is poured out, And doth not cease without intermission, |
| WEB | My eye pours down and doesn’t cease, without any intermission, |
| BBE | My eyes are streaming without stopping, they have no rest, |
Where they part company is in the nuances of phrasing, but all translations convey the same core meaning.
The structure is straightforward, with a main clause followed by an adverbial phrase that emphasizes the continuous nature of the action.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהֲפֻגָה
verbנָגַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Lamentations 3:49
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Lament of Jerusalemgenerated
Lamentations 3:49 captures the profound sorrow of the speaker, whose eyes are a source of tears due to the devastation faced by their people. This lament is part of a larger expression of grief found throughout the book of Lamentations, reflecting on the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its inhabitants. The preceding verses establish a context of mourning, and this verse emphasizes the unending nature of the speaker's tears, highlighting their deep emotional pain.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 1:16 | For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to revive my soul. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed. |
| 2 | Psalm 77:2 | In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 14:17 | You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֵינִי, 'ei.Nigenerated
The word עֵין (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as a source of tears. In this verse, it emphasizes the speaker's emotional state, as their eyes are the source of their unceasing tears.
The parsing indicates it is a feminine singular noun with a construct form, implying possession — 'my eye'. This highlights the personal nature of the lament, as the tears are deeply connected to the speaker's own grief.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the phrase is rendered as overflow, which is consistent across the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE, all using similar terms to convey the idea of continuous tears.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb נִגְּרָ֛ה, it has poured, governs the main clause, with the subject being עֵינִי, my eyes. The structure emphasizes the action of the eyes pouring out tears without interruption.
The sentence follows a straightforward structure, with the subject followed by the verb and adverbial phrases describing the continuous nature of the action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נִגְּרָ֛ה as κατεπόθη, which conveys a similar meaning of pouring out. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the emotional weight behind the Hebrew term.
The LXX does not introduce any new meanings but maintains the sense of continuous outpouring of tears, aligning closely with the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:49 expresses the speaker's deep sorrow as their eyes overflow with tears that do not stop. This verse is part of a lament about the suffering of Jerusalem, showing the pain and grief experienced by its people.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies the speaker's deep emotional pain and sorrow, as their tears flow continuously without any pause.
The speaker is mourning the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its people, which is a central theme in the book of Lamentations.
It indicates that the speaker's sorrow is relentless, with no respite from their grief.
This verse encapsulates the profound sorrow and lamentation for Jerusalem, reflecting the emotional turmoil present throughout the book.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What emotions do I feel when I reflect on the suffering of others?
- How can I express my grief in a healthy way, similar to the speaker in this verse?
- What does it mean to experience unceasing sorrow, and how can I find hope in difficult times?
- In what ways can I support those who are grieving in my community?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:49 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not,.... From weeping, as the Targum: the prophet was continually weeping; the distresses of his people were always uppermost in his mind; and which so affected
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, Without any intermission - or else, 'because there is no intermission' (Piscator), namely, of my miseries. Verse 50. Till the Lord look down.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe prophet was deeply affected upon the prospect of this evil before it came, , and was now much more affected when he saw the judgment was come; he wept plentifully and constantly, as for their sins which had brought these judgments upon them, so for the judgments themselves, as indications of God’ s displeasure and wrath against them for their transgressions.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,Ver. 49. Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not.] Put fire under the still, and water droppeth from roses. Fiery afflictions cause drops of repentance; and repentance, like the philosopher’ s stone, maketh golden afflictions.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(49) Trickleth down.—Better, poureth down.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges49. ceaseth not] Cp. Jeremiah 9:1; Jeremiah 14:17.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
My eyes overflow unceasingly, without relief,
My eye pours down and doesn’t cease, without any intermission,
My eyes overflow unceasingly, without relief,
Tears flow from my eyes and will not stop; there will be no break
Tyndale line
Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
My eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not,
Strictly literal
Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,
Mine eye is poured out, And doth not cease without intermission,
My eye is poured out, || And does not cease without intermission,
My eye trickleth down, and resteth not, without any intermission,
My eyes will shed tears without ceasing, without relief,
From the Latin
Ain. My eye is afflicted, and hath not been quiet, because there was no rest:
Simplified
My eyes overflow with tears all the time. They won't stop
My eyes are streaming without stopping, they have no rest,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all six words in the Septuagint corresponding to the Hebrew text. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the lament's emotional depth.
עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 3:49
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye
lit. as physical organ
eyes as showing mental qualities
desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
Transferred mngs.:
visible surface of earth
appearance
gleam, sparkle
Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
base
עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:
ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1
ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19
ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.
ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)
base
H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ
. . eyes as showing mental qualities
. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth
. appearance
. gleam, sparkle
. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)
5869 `ayin ah'-yin
probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or
figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the
landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +
think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +
displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,
fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,
knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,
presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +
think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.
: eye
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.
: seeing
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.
: appearance
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).
: before(the_eyes)
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.
: sin
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
נָגַר (nagar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pour, flow, or run. It encompasses various nuances, including being poured or spilled (Niphal), pouring down (Hiphil), and even melting (Hophal). The term can also figuratively imply vanishing or being stretched out. It captures a range of actions related to liquids and their movement.
[נָגַר] vb. pour, flow, run
Niph.
be poured, split
pour oneself, flow, trickle, of eye (in tears)
fig. vanish
be stretched out (?)
Hiph. pour down, hurl down
Hoph. of mountains melting at theophany.
base
H5064 נָגַר
5064 nagar naw-gar'
a primitive root; to flow; figuratively, to stretch out;
causatively, to pour out or down; figuratively, to deliver
over:--fall, flow away, pour down (out), run, shed, spilt,
trickle down.
נָגַר (na.gar) — to pour.
1) to pour, run, flow, pour down
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be poured, be spilt
1a2) to pour oneself, flow, trickle
1a3) to vanish (fig.)
1a4) to be stretched out
1b) (Hiphil) to pour down
1c) (Hophal) to melt
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person feminine singularHVNp3fs
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
דָּמָה (damah) is a Hebrew verb that means to cease or cause to cease, and it encompasses ideas of cutting off, destroying, or perishing. It can be used in different forms, such as the Qal (active) and Niphal (passive), indicating actions like ceasing or being cut off. The entries consistently highlight its association with destruction and silence.
[דָּמָה] vb. cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy
Qal
intr. cease
cause to cease, cut off, destroy
Niph. be cut off, destroyed, ruined
base
H1820 [דָּמָה] cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy
1820 damah daw-mam'
a primitive root; to be dumb or silent; hence, to fail or
perish; trans. to destroy:--cease, be cut down (off), destroy,
be brought to silence, be undone, X utterly.
דָּמָה (da.mah) — to cease.
1) to cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy, perish
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cease
1a2) to cause to cease, destroy
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cut off
1b2) to be undone, be cut off at sight of the theophany
HVqi3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singularHVqi3fs
ses: A remarkable array of 20 Hebrew and 6 Greek words is so translated. In the King James Version 15 of the former and 3 of the latter are used only once with this rendering. The originals most frequently in use are chadhal, "to leave off"; shabhath "to rest from" (labor); pauomai, "to make to cease." Few words illustrate better the fertility of the Hebrew in expressing limitless shades of meaning, impoverished by the use of one English word. This extensive variety is, however, well expressed by "cease": i.e. stop, come to an end, e.g. ceasing of tears (Jer 14:17); work (Ezr 4:24); grinders (Ec 12:3); thunder (Ex 9:29); the wicked (
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Prep | Part — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
הֲפוּגָה (haphugah) refers to a state of relaxation or cessation, indicating a stopping or intermission. It appears in the context of Lamentations 3:49. The word is derived from the root meaning to relax, and its usage encompasses concepts of ceasing or benumbing.
[הֲפוּגָה] n.f. id. [q.an.ab];—pl. La 3:49
ref
H2014 הֲפוּגָה, הֲפֻגָה
2014 haphugah haf-oo-gaw'
from 6313; relaxation:--intermission.
see HEBREW for 06313
הֲפוּגָה (ha.phu.gah) — cessation.
ceasing, stopping, benumbing
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa