Ezekiel 19
1 Sing this funeral song for the princes of Israel
“As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel
2 with these words: “What was your mother? She was a lioness among the lions! She lay down in her place among the young lions and reared her cubs.
and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness among the lions! She lay down among the young lions; she reared her cubs.
3 She raised one of her cubs, and he grew up to be young lion. Once he had learned how to tear up his prey, he started eating people.
She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.
4 But when the nations heard about him, he was caught in their trap. They used hooks to drag him away to Egypt.
When the nations heard of him, he was trapped in their pit. With hooks they led him away to the land of Egypt.
5 When she realized that the hope she had been waiting for was gone, she made another of her cubs into a young lion.
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.
6 He went around with the other lions, and became strong. Once he had learned how to tear up his prey, he started eating people.
He prowled among the lions, and became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.
7 He tore down their fortresses and destroyed their towns. All the people living in the country were appalled when they heard him roaring.
He broke down their strongholds and devastated their cities. The land and everything in it shuddered at the sound of his roaring.
8 Then the people of the countries all around attacked him. They threw their net over him; he was caught in their trap.
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.
9 They used hooks to put him in a cage and took him to the king of Babylon. They led him away and imprisoned him so his roar wasn't heard any more in Israel's mountains.
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.
10 Your mother was like a vine planted in your vineyard at the waterside. It produced a lot of fruit and had many branches because it had plenty of water.
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.
11 Its branches were strong like rulers' scepters. It grew high above the tree canopy. People could see how tall and full of leaves it was.
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.
12 But it was uprooted in anger and thrown down on the ground. The east wind blew and dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were stripped of leaves and they withered. Then they were burned up in the fire.
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.
13 Now the vine has been replanted in the desert, in a dry and waterless land.
Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.
14 A fire blazed out from its main trunk and burned up its fruit. None of its branches that were once like a ruler's scepter are strong any more.” This is a funeral song and is to be used for mourning.
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.”
