With verse 52 the lament begins again; however, in contrast to verses 46-47, the poet now speaks in the singular.

Hunted like a bird is a common image for a lament found, for example, in Psalm 11.1; 124.7; 140.5c; Jeremiah 16.16. Here, as in Psalm 35.19 and 69.4, the poet complains that his enemies had no reason for hating him. In some languages it will be necessary to shift I have been hunted like a bird from the passive to an active construction; for example, “My enemies have trapped me like a bird.”

In some languages it will be necessary to make a separate sentence of “who had no cause to hate me” (Good News Translation). For example, “My enemies trapped me like a bird; they had no reason to hate me.” It may also be possible to begin with a limiting phrase; for example, “Without any reason my enemies captured me as they capture a bird.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on Lamentations. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .