Ezekiel 19

1 “As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel

你應為以色列的君王唱一篇哀歌，

2 and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness among the lions! She lay down among the young lions; she reared her cubs.

說：「你的母親原像什麼﹖她像群獅中的一隻牝獅，臥在壯獅中養大了幼獅。

3 She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.

牠養大了一隻幼小的。牠就長成了壯獅，學會了撕裂獵物，吞噬人類。

4 When the nations heard of him, he was trapped in their pit. With hooks they led him away to the land of Egypt.

列國於是下令追捕牠，牠遂在她們所設的陷阱中被捕，人便用鼻環把牠牽到埃及地。

5 When she saw that she had waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

母獅見自己所等待的，所希望的落了空，就另取了一隻幼獅，使牠成為壯獅。

6 He prowled among the lions, and became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.

牠在群獅中徘徊，成了壯獅，學會了撕裂獵物，吞噬人類。

7 He broke down their strongholds and devastated their cities. The land and everything in it shuddered at the sound of his roaring.

牠把裂物帶到自己的穴中，恐嚇羊群，那地方和居民對牠的吼聲，無不驚懼。

8 Then the nations set out against him from the provinces on every side. They spread their net over him; he was trapped in their pit.

於是各國由四周各地追蹤牠，設下羅網捕捉牠，終於在她們的陷阱中被捕。

9 With hooks they caged him and brought him to the king of Babylon. They brought him into captivity so that his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.

然後給牠帶上鼻環，把牠裝在籠中，將他解送到巴比倫王那裏，將牠囚禁在獄中，免得在以色列的山上再聽到牠的吼聲。

10 Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters.

你的母親像園中的一棵葡萄樹，栽植在水旁，因為水多，果實纍纍，枝葉繁茂。

11 It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick branches, conspicuous for its height and for its dense foliage.

她生出一根粗壯的枝條，可作統治者的權杖，它的軀幹高大，超過其他的枝葉。因它身量高大，在密茂的枝葉中，也可以見到。

12 But it was uprooted in fury, cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were stripped off and they withered; the fire consumed them.

但是在狂怒中，它竟被拔出，拋棄在地上，東風吹乾了它的果實，它粗壯的枝幹被折斷而乾枯，為火所焚燒。

13 Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.

現今它被栽植在沙漠中，在那枯燥乾旱的地方。

14 Fire has gone out from its main branch and devoured its fruit; on it no strong branch remains fit for a ruler’s scepter.’ This is a lament and shall be used as a lament.”

由枝梢上冒出一團火，焚燒了它的枝葉和果實，沒有給它留下一根粗壯的枝條，作統治者的權杖。」這是一篇哀歌，可為追悼之用。