Lamentations 4:17 nasb — Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.

NASB

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

— Lamentations 4:17, NASB

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Lamentations 4:17 in Other Translations

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Lamentations 4 — Context

14

They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

15

"Depart! Unclean!" they cried of themselves. "Depart, depart, do not touch!" So they fled and wandered; Men among the nations said, "They shall not continue to dwell with us."

16

The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.

17

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

18

They hunted our steps So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.

19

Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky; They chased us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.

20

The breath of our nostrils, the LORD'S anointed, Was captured in their pits, Of whom we had said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations."

Lamentations 4:17 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Lamentations 4:17 say?
Lamentations 4:17 in the NASB reads: “Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.”
Where is Lamentations 4:17 in the Bible?
Lamentations 4:17 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Lamentations, chapter 4, verse 17.
Who wrote Lamentations?
Lamentations is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah (traditional). It was written c. 586–575 BC.
What is the book of Lamentations about?
Lamentations is a series of five funeral poems over the fallen Jerusalem — raw grief, honest confession, and at the very center, an astonishing confession of hope: "his compassions fail not… they are new every morning."
What are the major themes of Lamentations?
Lamentations explores themes including Grief, Judgment, Mercy, Hope, Repentance. These themes shape the meaning and context of Lamentations 4:17.
What translation should I read Lamentations 4:17 in?
Lamentations 4:17 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Lamentations 4:17?
Lamentations 4:17 reads (NASB): “Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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