< Ezekiel 19 >
1 Thou also, take vp a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
你應為以色列的君王唱一篇哀歌,
2 And say, Wherefore lay thy mother as a lyonesse among the lyons? she nourished her yong ones among the lyons whelps,
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 And she brought vp one of her whelps, and it became a lyon, and it learned to catch the praye, and it deuoured 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 The nations also heard of him, and he was taken in their nets, and they brought him in chaines vnto 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 Nowe when she sawe, that she had waited and her hope was lost, she tooke another of her whelps, and made him a lyon.
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 Which went among the lyons, and became a lyon, and learned to catch the praye, and he deuoured men.
牠在群獅中徘徊,成了壯獅,學會了撕裂獵物,吞噬人類。
7 And he knew their widowes, and he destroyed their cities, and the land was wasted, and all that was therein by the noyse 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 against him on euery side of the countreys, and laide their nets for him: so he was taken 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 And they put him in prison and in chaines, and brought him to the King of Babel, and they put him in holdes, that his voyce should no more be heard vpon the mountaines 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 Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she brought foorth fruite and branches by 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 And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that beare rule, and her stature was exalted among the branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.
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 she was plucked vp in wrath: she was cast downe to the ground, and the East winde dried vp her fruite: her branches were broken, and withered: as for the rod of her strength, the fire consumed it.
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 And now she is planted in the wildernes in a drie and thirstie ground.
現今它被栽植在沙漠中,在那枯燥乾旱的地方。
14 And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath deuoured her fruite, so that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule: this is a lamentation and shalbe for a lamentation.
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。