以西结书 31
1 十一年三月初一日，耶和华的话临到我说：
Almost eleven years [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the first day of the third month [of that year], Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
2 “人子啊，你要向埃及王法老和他的众人说： 在威势上谁能与你相比呢？
“You human, say to the King of Egypt and all of his people, ‘[You think that] there is [RHQ, IRO] no country whose power is as great as the power of your country.
3 亚述王曾如黎巴嫩中的香柏树， 枝条荣美，影密如林， 极其高大，树尖插入云中。
You think that your country is as great as Assyria was: Assyria was previously like [MET] a tall cedar tree in Lebanon; [it was as though] it had big beautiful branches that provided shade for [other trees in] the forest. It was very tall; its top was above the leaves of the other trees.
4 众水使它生长； 深水使它长大。 所栽之地有江河围流， 汊出的水道延到田野诸树。
Water came from deep springs, and as a result that cedar tree grew tall and very green. Then water flowed around the base of the tree into channels that took water to other nearby trees.
5 所以它高大超过田野诸树； 发旺的时候，枝子繁多， 因得大水之力枝条长长。
That huge tree grew very tall, higher than all the other trees around it. Its branches grew very thick and long [DOU] because of the abundant water [at the base of the tree].
6 空中的飞鸟都在枝子上搭窝； 田野的走兽都在枝条下生子； 所有大国的人民都在它荫下居住。
Birds built their nests in the branches, and wild animals gave birth to their babies under those branches. [And it was as though people of] all the great nations lived in the shade of that tree.
7 树大条长，成为荣美， 因为根在众水之旁。
It was majestic and beautiful; its branches spread out widely because the roots of the tree grew down into the ground where there was a plentiful supply of water.
8 神园中的香柏树不能遮蔽它； 松树不及它的枝子； 枫树不及它的枝条； 神园中的树都没有它荣美。
The cedar trees in my garden [in Eden] were not as great as that tree, and the branches of the pine/cypress trees were not as long and thick as the branches of that cedar tree. And the branches of the plane trees were not as long and thick, either. No tree in my garden was as beautiful as that cedar tree.
9 我使它的枝条蕃多，成为荣美， 以致 神伊甸园中的树都嫉妒它。”
Because I caused that tree to become very beautiful with its magnificent green branches, [all the leaders of other countries represented by] [MET] those other trees in Eden envied [the country represented by] that tree.’
10 所以主耶和华如此说：“因它高大，树尖插入云中，心骄气傲，
Therefore, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘That tree, which [represents Assyria], grew very tall, and its top was higher than the other trees, and it became very proud because of being very tall.
11 我就必将它交给列国中大有威势的人；他必定办它。我因它的罪恶，已经驱逐它。
Therefore, I enabled another mighty nation to conquer it and to destroy it as it deserved to be destroyed. I have already discarded it.
12 外邦人，就是列邦中强暴的，将它砍断弃掉。它的枝条落在山间和一切谷中，它的枝子折断，落在地的一切河旁。地上的众民已经走去，离开它的荫下。
A foreign army, one that has caused people of other nations to be terrified, cut it down and left it. Its branches fell on the mountains and in the valleys. Some of its branches lay broken in all the ravines in the land. All the people of other nations came out from being under its shade and left it.
13 空中的飞鸟都要宿在这败落的树上，田野的走兽都要卧在它的枝条下，
Birds (settled/went to live) on the fallen tree, and wild animals lived among its branches.
14 好使水旁的诸树不因高大而自尊，也不将树尖插入云中，并且那些得水滋润、有势力的，也不得高大自立。因为它们在世人中，和下坑的人都被交与死亡，到阴府去了。”
The result of what I have done is that no other trees, even if they have plenty of water, will ever grow very high and become proud, and lift their tops above the branches of other trees. I do not want any other tree to grow high like that cedar tree did; trees will all certainly die and decay in the ground, like people die and go down to their graves.’
This is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘When that great tree was cut down, [it was as though] the springs that watered it mourned for it, because I caused the plentiful water [from the springs] to dry up. I caused [the mountains in] Lebanon to become black, and all the trees there to wither. (Sheol h7585)
I caused the people of other nations to tremble when they heard that tree fall to the ground. [They realized] that it would decay, like all people who die and are buried decay. And all the [leaders of other countries represented by] other beautiful trees in my garden in Eden and in Lebanon, were like beautiful trees [that were very proud]. They were ones which had roots that grew down deep into the [ground where there was plenty of] water. They were comforted when [the king represented by] [MET] that cedar tree was there with them in the place where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
The [leaders of other countries represented by] [MET] trees that grew in the shade of the huge tree, [the allies of] the great nation [that the cedar tree represents], had also joined those who had been killed by the sword and gone down to where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
18 在这样荣耀威势上，在伊甸园诸树中，谁能与你相比呢？然而你要与伊甸的诸树一同下到阴府，在未受割礼的人中，与被杀的人一同躺卧。 “法老和他的群众乃是如此。这是主耶和华说的。”
[This parable is about you] people of Egypt. [You think that] [RHQ, IRO] there is no other nation that is as great and glorious as yours is. But your nation will also be destroyed, [as Assyria was], along with those other nations. Your people will be there among the other people who are not fit to worship me, people who have been killed by their enemies’ swords. That is what will happen to the king of Egypt and all his people. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, [have predicted it].’”
