以西結書 17
1 耶和華的話臨到我說：
Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
2 「人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，
“Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to 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, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers which had various colors, came to Lebanon and took the top 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 topmost of its young twigs, and carried it to a land of traffic. He planted 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 also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fruitful soil. He placed it beside many waters. He 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。
It grew and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him. So it became a vine, produced branches, and shot out 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. Behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and shot out its branches toward him, from the ground where it was planted, that he might water it.
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 many waters, that it might produce branches and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a good 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, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Will it prosper? Won’t he pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, that it may wither, that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? It can’t be raised from its roots by a strong arm or many people.
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。」
Yes, behold, being planted, will it prosper? Won’t it utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the ground where it grew.”’”
11 耶和華的話臨到我說：
Moreover Yahweh’s word came to 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, ‘Don’t you know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king, and its princes, and brought them to 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，
He took one of the royal offspring, and made a covenant with him. He also brought him under an oath, and took away 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 brought low, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping 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 many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the covenant, and still escape?
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,’ says the Lord Yahweh, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the middle of Babylon he will 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。
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won’t help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build 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。」
For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t 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 the Lord Yahweh says: ‘As I live, I will surely bring on his own head my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken.
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。
I will spread my net on him, and he will be taken in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass that he has 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。」
All his fugitives in all his bands will fall by the sword, and those who remain will be scattered toward every wind. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, 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；
“The Lord Yahweh says: ‘I will also take some of the lofty top of the cedar, and will plant it. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
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。
I will plant it in the mountain of the height of Israel; and it will produce boughs, and bear fruit, and be a good cedar. Birds of every kind will dwell in the shade of its branches.
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。」
All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. “‘I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’”
