以西結書 17
1 耶和華的話臨到我說：
AND the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 「人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
3 說主耶和華如此說：有一大鷹，翅膀大，翎毛長，羽毛豐滿，彩色俱備，來到黎巴嫩，將香柏樹梢擰去，
And say, Thus saith the Lord God; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
4 就是折去香柏樹儘尖的嫩枝，叼到貿易之地，放在買賣城中；
He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
5 又將以色列地的枝子栽於肥田裏，插在大水旁，如插柳樹，
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
6 就漸漸生長，成為蔓延矮小的葡萄樹。其枝轉向那鷹，其根在鷹以下，於是成了葡萄樹，生出枝子，發出小枝。
And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
7 「又有一大鷹，翅膀大，羽毛多。這葡萄樹從栽種的畦中向這鷹彎過根來，發出枝子，好得它的澆灌。
There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
8 這樹栽於肥田多水的旁邊，好生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的葡萄樹。
It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.
9 你要說，主耶和華如此說：這葡萄樹豈能發旺呢？鷹豈不拔出它的根來，芟除它的果子，使它枯乾，使它發的嫩葉都枯乾了嗎？也不用大力和多民，就拔出它的根來。
Say thou, Thus saith the Lord God; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
10 葡萄樹雖然栽種，豈能發旺呢？一經東風，豈不全然枯乾嗎？必在生長的畦中枯乾了。」
Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
11 耶和華的話臨到我說：
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
12 「你對那悖逆之家說：你們不知道這些事是甚麼意思嗎？你要告訴他們說，巴比倫王曾到耶路撒冷，將其中的君王和首領帶到巴比倫自己那裏去。
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
13 從以色列的宗室中取一人與他立約，使他發誓，並將國中有勢力的人擄去，
And hath taken of the king’s seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
14 使國低微不能自強，惟因守盟約得以存立。
That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
15 他卻背叛巴比倫王，打發使者往埃及去，要他們給他馬匹和多民。他豈能亨通呢？行這樣事的人豈能逃脫呢？他背約豈能逃脫呢？
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
16 他輕看向王所起的誓，背棄王與他所立的約。主耶和華說：我指着我的永生起誓，他定要死在立他作王、巴比倫王的京都。
As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
17 敵人築壘造臺，與他打仗的時候，為要剪除多人，法老雖領大軍隊和大群眾，還是不能幫助他。
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
18 他輕看誓言，背棄盟約，已經投降，卻又做這一切的事，他必不能逃脫。」
Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
19 所以主耶和華如此說：「我指着我的永生起誓，他既輕看指我所起的誓，背棄指我所立的約，我必要使這罪歸在他頭上。
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
20 我必將我的網撒在他身上，他必在我的網羅中纏住。我必帶他到巴比倫，並要在那裏因他干犯我的罪刑罰他。
And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
21 他的一切軍隊，凡逃跑的，都必倒在刀下；所剩下的，也必分散四方。你們就知道說這話的是我－耶和華。」
And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it.
22 主耶和華如此說：「我要將香柏樹梢擰去栽上，就是從儘尖的嫩枝中折一嫩枝，栽於極高的山上；
Thus saith the Lord God; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
23 在以色列高處的山栽上。它就生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的香柏樹，各類飛鳥都必宿在其下，就是宿在枝子的蔭下。
In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
24 田野的樹木都必知道我－耶和華使高樹矮小，矮樹高大；青樹枯乾，枯樹發旺。我－耶和華如此說，也如此行了。」
And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.
