1. Lamentations 3:4–6 (NEG79)
  2. Explication du texte

What is the content and purpose of the second stanza (Bet) of the third poem?

Lamentations 3:4–6 (NEG79)

4 Il a fait dépérir ma chair et ma peau, Il a brisé mes os.

Continuing from the previous stanza where it is stated that God’s hand was turned against them, the second stanza continues to describe how it was done. While the man (Lamentations 3:1) represents the suffering people of God, he also suffered with them. Here, this suffering is described in highly figurative language. It is firstly described in physical terms (Lamentations 3:4) and then it depicts this suffering in terms of the assault of a city (Lamentations 3:5). Lamentations 3:6 describes the fate of death, consigned by God.1