[enyafriend]

Sometimes, certain expressions in a particular language do not translate well in another language. Here, expressing sorry in a sympathetic manner is quite difficult to express them out in Japanese; for a simple reason that Japanese don't say it that way. They have their own peculiar way of expression in such situation.

Beside, taihen desu ne (given above as example), they may say,気の毒 as in:
- (お)気の毒ですね。
- お気の毒に存じます。

Yeah, as Keaton said in the second point, they're probably used in ancient times but not now. I, myself, have not seen them being used like that before.