Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city.
The daughters of the city are the women of Jerusalem, belonging to the city itself, and it is their suffering that the speaker beholds. What is seen in this way reaches inward and deeply grieves him, so that sight of suffering lays sorrow upon the inward life. The word rendered heart is neh-phesh, which here stands for the seat of feelings and emotions. In this higher sense it denotes animus, the rational soul and mind, as the seat of the passions, emotions and affections of a rational being, embracing love, joy, fear, sorrow, hope, hatred, revenge and contempt. Contemplation of sorrowful sights awakens a corresponding sorrowful feeling in the soul, the heart being moved indirectly as the mind dwells on what is suited to produce that particular emotion.
The daughters of the city are the women of Jerusalem, belonging to the city itself, and it is their suffering that the speaker beholds. What is seen in this way reaches inward and deeply grieves him, so that sight of suffering lays sorrow upon the inward life. The word rendered heart is neh-phesh, which here stands for the seat of feelings and emotions. In this higher sense it denotes animus, the rational soul and mind, as the seat of the passions, emotions and affections of a rational being, embracing love, joy, fear, sorrow, hope, hatred, revenge and contempt. Contemplation of sorrowful sights awakens a corresponding sorrowful feeling in the soul, the heart being moved indirectly as the mind dwells on what is suited to produce that particular emotion.