Parallel Verses

A Conservative Version

What shall I testify to thee? What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea; who can heal thee?

New American Standard Bible

How shall I admonish you?
To what shall I compare you,
O daughter of Jerusalem?
To what shall I liken you as I comfort you,
O virgin daughter of Zion?
For your ruin is as vast as the sea;
Who can heal you?

King James Version

What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

Holman Bible

מ MemWhat can I say on your behalf?
What can I compare you to, Daughter Jerusalem?
What can I liken you to,
so that I may console you, Virgin Daughter Zion?
For your ruin is as vast as the sea.
Who can heal you?

International Standard Version

What can be said about you? To what should you be compared, fair Jerusalem? To what may I liken you, so I may comfort you, fair one of Zion? Indeed, your wound is as deep as the sea who can heal you?

American Standard Version

What shall I testify unto thee? what shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

Amplified


How shall I console you?
To what shall I compare you,
O Daughter of Jerusalem?
With what shall I compare you, so that I may comfort you,
O Virgin Daughter of Zion?
For your ruin is as vast as the sea;
Who can heal you?

Bible in Basic English

What example am I to give you? what comparison am I to make for you, O daughter of Jerusalem? what am I to make equal to you, so that I may give you comfort, O virgin daughter of Zion? for your destruction is great like the sea: who is able to make you well?

Darby Translation

What shall I take to witness for thee? what shall I liken unto thee, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, virgin daughter of Zion? For thy ruin is great as the sea: who will heal thee?

Julia Smith Translation

What shall I testify for thee? What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to thee, and comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for great as the sea thy breaking: who shall heal for thee?

King James 2000

What thing shall I take to witness for you? what thing shall I liken to you, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? for your run is vast as the sea: who can heal you?

Lexham Expanded Bible

What can I say for you? What can I compare to you, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what can I liken you so that I can comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your destruction [is] as vast as the sea; who can heal you?

Modern King James verseion

What can I testify for you? What thing shall I compare to you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to you, so that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your break is great like the sea! Who can heal you?

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

{Mem} What shall I say of thee, O thou daughter Jerusalem? To whom shall I liken thee? To whom shall I compare thee, O thou daughter Zion, to comfort thee withal? Thy hurt is like a main sea: who may heal thee?

NET Bible

(Mem) With what can I equate you? To what can I compare you, O Daughter Jerusalem? To what can I liken you so that I might comfort you, O Virgin Daughter Zion? Your wound is as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?

New Heart English Bible

What shall I testify of you? What shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For your ruin is great like the sea. Who can heal you?

The Emphasized Bible

How shall I solemnly admonish thee? What shall I liken to thee, thou daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare with thee, that I may comfort thee, thou virgin, daughter of Zion? for, great as the sea, is thy grievous injury, Who can heal thee?

Webster

What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

World English Bible

What shall I testify to you? what shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For your breach is great like the sea: who can heal you?

Youngs Literal Translation

What do I testify to thee, what do I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What do I equal to thee, and I comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For great as a sea is thy breach, Who doth give healing to thee?

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
מה מ־ מ־ מה מה 
Mah 
Usage: 751

דּמה 
Damah 
Usage: 30

to thee, O daughter
בּת 
Bath 
Usage: 587

ירוּשׁלים ירוּשׁלם 
Y@ruwshalaim 
Usage: 642

שׁוה 
Shavah 
Usage: 21

נחם 
Nacham 
Usage: 108

בּתוּלה 
B@thuwlah 
Usage: 50

בּת 
Bath 
Usage: 587

of Zion
ציּון 
Tsiyown 
Usage: 154

is great
גּדל גּדול 
Gadowl 
Usage: 528

like the sea
ים 
Yam 
Usage: 396

רפה רפא 
Rapha' 
Usage: 68

References

Fausets

Hastings

Context Readings

The Lord Is Angry

12 They say to their mothers, Where is grain and wine? when they faint as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul is poured out into their mothers' bosom. 13 What shall I testify to thee? What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea; who can heal thee? 14 Thy prophets have seen FALSE and foolish visions for thee. And they have not uncovered thine iniquity, to bring back thy captivity, but have seen for thee FALSE oracles and causes of banishment.



Cross References

2 Samuel 5:20

And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there. And he said, LORD has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

Jeremiah 8:22

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Jeremiah 14:17

And thou shall say this word to them: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.

Jeremiah 30:12-15

For thus says LORD, Thy hurt is incurable, and thy wound grievous.

Psalm 60:2

Thou have made the land to tremble. Thou have torn it. Heal the breaking of it, for it shakes.

Isaiah 37:22

this is the word which LORD has spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion has despised thee and laughed thee to scorn. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at thee.

Jeremiah 51:8-9

Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed. Wail for her. Take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

Ezekiel 26:3-4

therefore thus says lord LORD: Behold, I am against thee, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causes its waves to come up.

Daniel 9:12

And he has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil, for under the whole heaven has not been done as has been done upon Jerusalem.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain