In biblical times lions were common in Israel and the surrounding countries, and the references to them show that they were considered daring and destructive animals, whose very roar aroused fear. It is quite possible that lions is here used symbolically of the Assyrian army, although this identification may not be made in translation. However, it may be advisable to identify the lions as Israel’s enemies: “His enemies have roared at him like lions.” If lions are not known, then translators have two or three possible translation methods to choose from. In some contexts, a description would be good, as in “large, ferocious cat-like animals” or “large, dangerous animals like cats.” In others, it is enough to use a very general term like “wild animals” or “dangerous wild animals.” Sometimes a substitution can be made, either with another member of the cat family such as a puma or panther, or even with an animal such as a wolf or bear. But in this context, where the roaring is being spoken of, then one of the first two choices would work best. Of course, a long descriptive phrase takes away from the poetry, so translators should try to keep a brief phrase if possible.

The lions have roared … they have roared loudly represents a form of Hebrew parallelism which may in some cases need to be reduced to a single statement as in Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. New English Bible retains it here with “roar and growl” (also New International Version and Bible en français courant). In order to convey the force of the Hebrew parallelism, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “They roar and attack you like hungry lions.”

What the lions have done shows clearly that they are used symbolically of Israel’s enemies: They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant. The noun translated waste appears frequently in the book of Jeremiah; it refers primarily to a horrible sight caused by destruction. Translators might have “they [his enemies] have made his land completely desolate” or “they have completely ravaged his land.” His cities are in ruins parallels They have made his land a waste. In place of are in ruins some manuscripts have “are burned” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Luther 1984, New International Version). In fact it is possible that the verb form translated are in ruins may also be derived from the verb “be burned.” But the meaning comes out essentially the same in either case. In ancient warfare a captured city had its buildings torn down, and everything that would burn was burned. Sometimes translators need to state that the cities are in ruins because the enemies have destroyed them, as in “they have made his cities ruins” or “they have defeated the cities and left them in ruins.”

Without inhabitant is translated “completely abandoned” by Good News Translation. We may need to translate “and no one lives there any more.”

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 .