Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation return to prose at this point. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible marks a break with a section heading. Revised English Bible, on the other hand, continues with poetry and has no break. If there is no compelling reason in their languages to do otherwise, translators should probably follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, since the summons of the messengers is ended, and the verse describes the reaction of the nation’s political and religious leaders to the LORD’s punishment of their nation.

In that day refers to the day of the LORD’s judgment upon the nation. Although it is sometimes more natural to say “At that time” or even “When that happens,” the day of the LORD’s judgment is such a common topic within the Bible that it is good to try to retain the expression of the text.

Says the LORD: See 1.8. It will be more natural in many languages to put this expression at the beginning of the verse.

Courage shall fail both king and princes is more literally “the heart of the king will fail and the heart of the princes.” We may need to restructure as in Good News Translation: “kings and officials will lose their courage.” Although Good News Translation has changed singular king to plural, thinking perhaps that all rulers are being referred to, it is probably better to leave it singular. For the understanding of princes as “officials,” see 1.18.

For priests see 1.1.

Be appalled (Good News Translation “be shocked”) comes from the same stem as the noun “waste” of verse 7; the verb is first used in 2.12.

For prophets see 1.5.

Astounded is used only here in the book of Jeremiah; elsewhere in the Old Testament it has the sense of being overcome with fear or amazement. Certainly in this context there is no discernable difference between appalled and astounded, and translators can use verbs such as “horrified,” “astonished,” and “greatly surprised.” Some languages may prefer to represent be appalled … astounded as one verb.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .