Hezekiel 19
1 “Dze konyifaha aɖe gɔme, eye nàgblɔ be,
Sing this funeral song for the princes of Israel
2 “‘Dzatanɔ kae dawò nye le dzatawo dome? Emlɔ dzataviwo dome, eye wònye viawo.
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.
3 Ehe viawo dometɔ ɖeka wòtsi hezu dzata sesẽ aɖe. Esrɔ̃ nuléle, eye wòléa amewo vuvuna.
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.
4 Dukɔwo se eŋkɔ ɖe do nɛ, wòge ɖe eme, wolée, de ga ŋɔtime nɛ, eye wokplɔe yi Egiptenyigba dzi.
But when the nations heard about him, he was caught in their trap. They used hooks to drag him away to Egypt.
5 “‘Esi dzatanɔ la kpɔ be yeƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ medze edzi o la, ebu mɔkpɔkpɔ, tsɔ eƒe dzataviwo dometɔ bubu, wɔe wòzu dzata sesẽ aɖe.
When she realized that the hope she had been waiting for was gone, she made another of her cubs into a young lion.
6 Enɔ dzatawo dome, elabena ezu dzata sesẽ aɖe azɔ. Esrɔ̃ nuléle, eye wòléa amewo vuvuna.
He went around with the other lions, and became strong. Once he had learned how to tear up his prey, he started eating people.
7 Egbã woƒe mɔ sesẽwo ƒu anyi, eye wòwɔ woƒe duwo wozu aƒedo. Eƒe gbetete do ŋɔdzi na anyigba la kple ame siwo katã nɔ edzi
He tore down their fortresses and destroyed their towns. All the people living in the country were appalled when they heard him roaring.
8 Tete dukɔ siwo tso nuto ma me godoo la tso ɖe eŋu. Woɖo ɖɔ nɛ, eye woɖee le woƒe asɔʋe me.
Then the people of the countries all around attacked him. They threw their net over him; he was caught in their trap.
9 Wode ga ŋɔtime nɛ, hee ɖade gaxadza me, eye wokɔe yi na Babilonia fia. Ale womegase eƒe gbetete kpɔ le Israel ƒe towo dzi o.
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.
10 “‘Dawò nɔ abe wainti ene le wò wainbɔ me. Wodoe ɖe tsi gbɔ. Etsea ku, eye wòɖe alɔwo fũu le tsi ƒe agbɔsɔsɔ le afi ma ta.
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.
11 Eƒe alɔwo sẽ, eye wonyo woatsɔ awɔ fiatikplɔ. Ekɔ gbɔ avemeti bubuawo katã ta, edzena le eƒe kɔkɔ kple eƒe alɔ geɖewo ta.
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.
12 Ke wotsoe ƒu anyi le dɔmedzoe me. Ɣedzeƒeya na wòyrɔ, eye woɖe eƒe kutsetsewo ɖa le eŋu. Eƒe alɔ sesẽawo ku, eye dzo fia wo.
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.
13 Azɔ la, wodoe ɖe gbegbe, anyigba ƒuƒu aɖe dzi, afi si tsi menɔ o.
Now the vine has been replanted in the desert, in a dry and waterless land.
14 Dzo bi, kaka tso eƒe alɔ gã ɖeka me, eye wòbi eƒe tsetseawo. Alɔ sesẽ aɖeke megatsi eŋu woatsɔ akpa dziɖula ƒe fiatikplɔe o. Esia nye konyifaha, eye woawɔ eŋu dɔ abe konyifaha ene.’”
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.
