OET interlinear LAM 2:13

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מָֽה־אֲעִידֵ֞⁠ךְ מָ֣ה אֲדַמֶּה־לָּ֗⁠ךְ הַ⁠בַּת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם מָ֤ה אַשְׁוֶה־לָּ⁠ךְ֙ וַ⁠אֲנַֽחֲמֵ֔⁠ךְ בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־צִיּ֑וֹן

what will,I_testify_for_you what (Some words not found in UHB: what will,I_testify_for_you what compare to,you O,daughter Yerushalayim what liken to,you so,that,I_may_comfort_you virgin_of daughter_of Tsiyyōn/(Zion) that/for/because/then/when vast like,sea brokenness_of,your who? heal to/for=you(fs) )

The writer uses a series of rhetorical questions to express the idea that he cannot find anything adequate to say about Jerusalem’s suffering, to express the idea that nothing compares to her suffering, and that no comparison is adequate to bring comfort. If you would not use rhetorical questions for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement. Alternate translation: [I do not know what I could say to you. Nothing can be compared to your suffering, O daughter of Jerusalem. There is nothing I can say to bring you comfort, O virgin daughter of Zion.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל כַּ⁠יָּ֛ם שִׁבְרֵ֖⁠ךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: what will,I_testify_for_you what compare to,you O,daughter Yerushalayim what liken to,you so,that,I_may_comfort_you virgin_of daughter_of Tsiyyōn/(Zion) that/for/because/then/when vast like,sea brokenness_of,your who? heal to/for=you(fs) )

The writer uses a comparison to describe Jerusalem’s destruction. He compares it to the greatness of the sea, meaning that the brokenness is immeasurable and overwhelming in its vastness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [Your destruction is as vast and deep as the ocean]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

שִׁבְרֵ֖⁠ךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: what will,I_testify_for_you what compare to,you O,daughter Yerushalayim what liken to,you so,that,I_may_comfort_you virgin_of daughter_of Tsiyyōn/(Zion) that/for/because/then/when vast like,sea brokenness_of,your who? heal to/for=you(fs) )

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of brokenness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [how broken you are]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מִ֥י יִרְפָּא־לָֽ⁠ךְ

who? (Some words not found in UHB: what will,I_testify_for_you what compare to,you O,daughter Yerushalayim what liken to,you so,that,I_may_comfort_you virgin_of daughter_of Tsiyyōn/(Zion) that/for/because/then/when vast like,sea brokenness_of,your who? heal to/for=you(fs) )

The writer uses another rhetorical question to express the idea that no one can remedy Jerusalem’s suffering. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement. Alternate translation: [no one can heal you.]