What Does Lamentations 5:17 Mean in the King James?

For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.

Lamentations 5:17 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

Grief is a darkness that drains the heart and dims how the world is seen.

THE MEANING

Grief is not only an inward ache: the heart is sickened and languishing while the eyes darken. Sorrow reaches into the body’s capacity to perceive, and its dimness is named without being dismissed.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The verse undoes the idea that grief stays hidden inside; sorrow can darken perception itself.

THE ROOT

חָשְׁכוּ

ḥāškû

GROWS FROM

חשך

To grow dark or become obscure.

“dim” in this verse is ḥāškû. The Hebrew says the eyes have darkened, giving the phrase more force than ordinary tiredness. The same root names darkness itself, so the verse lets grief reach the light by which the world is seen.

ALSO GROWS

ḥoshekh: Darkness

חֹשֶׁךְ

This noun from the same root shows that the eyes’ dimming carries the language of darkness.

heḥshikh: To darken or make obscure

הֶחְשִׁיךְ

This verbal form makes the change active: what is seen grows dark.

דָּוֶה

dāveh

GROWS FROM

דוה

To be sick, faint, or languishing.

“faint” in this verse is dāveh. The heart is described with language of sickness and languishing, not merely low energy. Its weakness belongs to the same grief that darkens the eyes: sorrow reaches both the body’s inward strength and outward perception.

ALSO GROWS

dāwâ: To be sick or faint

דָּוָה

The verb form shows the heart’s faintness as a condition the body undergoes.

dawway: Sickly or faint

דַּוַּי

This related form is used for a faint heart, echoing how grief weakens the heart here.

THE PATTERN

Grief reaches the body and alters perception, showing itself in weakened strength, dim eyes, and tears.

Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.

Job 17:7 · KJVSorrow dims Job’s eye too, making grief visible in both sight and the body.

Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

Psalm 31:9 · KJVGrief consumes the eye and reaches beyond it into the whole person.

Jesus wept.

John 11:35 · KJVGrief becomes visible through tears rather than remaining only an inward feeling.

THE THREAD

Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

Psalm 6:7 · KJV

Both verses use ⁨עַיִן⁩ (ʿayin, eye) for the eye grief changes: here it darkens, and there it is consumed by grief. The shared word makes sorrow’s reach into perception unmistakable.

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