Hesekiel 31
1 Am ersten Tag des dritten Monds im Jahre elf erging das Wort des Herrn an mich:
Almost eleven years [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the first day of the third month [of that year], Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
2 "Sprich, Menschensohn, so sprich nun zu Ägyptens König, Pharao, sowie zu seinem großen Volke: 'Wem dünkst du dich in deiner Größe gleich?
“You human, say to the King of Egypt and all of his people, ‘[You think that] there is [RHQ, IRO] no country whose power is as great as the power of your country.
3 Assyrien, der Zeder auf dem Libanon, der schöngeästeten, der schattenspendenden, der ragenden, mit hochgerecktem Wipfel zwischen Baumkronen!
You think that your country is as great as Assyria was: Assyria was previously like [MET] a tall cedar tree in Lebanon; [it was as though] it had big beautiful branches that provided shade for [other trees in] the forest. It was very tall; its top was above the leaves of the other trees.
4 Das Wasser hatte diese großgezogen, das Meer sie hochgebracht, das seine Ströme rings um ihre Pflanzstatt fließen ließ, das sonst Kanäle bloß zu andern Bäumen auf dem Felde sandte.
Water came from deep springs, and as a result that cedar tree grew tall and very green. Then water flowed around the base of the tree into channels that took water to other nearby trees.
5 So überragte denn ihr Wuchs den aller andern Bäume auf dem Feld. So wurden ihre Zweige stark und ihre Äste lang vom reichen Wasser in den Rinnsalen.
That huge tree grew very tall, higher than all the other trees around it. Its branches grew very thick and long [DOU] because of the abundant water [at the base of the tree].
6 In ihren Zweigen nisteten des Himmels Vögel alle, und unter ihrer Krone warf auch allerlei Getier des Feldes. In ihrem Schatten wohnten manche starken Heidenvölker.
Birds built their nests in the branches, and wild animals gave birth to their babies under those branches. [And it was as though people of] all the great nations lived in the shade of that tree.
7 Und schön war sie in ihrer Größe durch ihrer Zweige Länge; denn ihre Wurzel stand an vielem Wasser.
It was majestic and beautiful; its branches spread out widely because the roots of the tree grew down into the ground where there was a plentiful supply of water.
8 Im Gottesgarten kamen andre Zedern ihr nicht gleich; in ihren Zweigen glichen ihr Zypressen nicht. Platanen waren gegen ihre Äste nichts; kein Baum war ihr an Schönheit gleich im Gottesgarten.
The cedar trees in my garden [in Eden] were not as great as that tree, and the branches of the pine/cypress trees were not as long and thick as the branches of that cedar tree. And the branches of the plane trees were not as long and thick, either. No tree in my garden was as beautiful as that cedar tree.
9 Gar herrlich hab ich sie gemacht in ihrer Zweige Fülle. Im Gottesgarten neideten sie alle Bäume Edens.'
Because I caused that tree to become very beautiful with its magnificent green branches, [all the leaders of other countries represented by] [MET] those other trees in Eden envied [the country represented by] that tree.’
10 Doch sprach der Herr, der Herr: 'Weil sie an Wuchs so hoch geworden, und weil sie ihren Wipfel in die Wolken streckte, und weil sie so auf ihre Größe stolz geworden,
Therefore, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘That tree, which [represents Assyria], grew very tall, and its top was higher than the other trees, and it became very proud because of being very tall.
11 drum gab ich sie dem mächtigsten der Heidenvölker preis, daß sie an ihr entsprechend ihrer Schlechtigkeit verfuhren, sie, die ich doch wachsen ließ.
Therefore, I enabled another mighty nation to conquer it and to destroy it as it deserved to be destroyed. I have already discarded it.
12 Da haben Fremde sie gefällt und hingeworfen, die Wildesten der Heidenvölker. Auf Berge und in Täler fielen ihre Zweige überall. Zerbrochen lagen ihre Äste in allen Bachtälern des Landes, und alle Erdenvölker zogen fort aus ihrem Schatten und ließen sie so liegen.
A foreign army, one that has caused people of other nations to be terrified, cut it down and left it. Its branches fell on the mountains and in the valleys. Some of its branches lay broken in all the ravines in the land. All the people of other nations came out from being under its shade and left it.
13 Des Himmels Vögel alle saßen auf ihrem umgeworfnen Stamm; an ihre Äste kamen alle Tiere des Feldes,
Birds (settled/went to live) on the fallen tree, and wild animals lived among its branches.
14 daß kein Baum am Wasser ferner stolz auf seine Höhe sei und nicht emporstrecke den Wipfel zwischen Baumkronen, daß keiner, der dort Wasser trinkt, um ihre Höhe sie anfeinde. Sie alle sind zum Tode für die Unterwelt bestimmt, gerade so wie andre Menschen, die zur Grube wandern.'
The result of what I have done is that no other trees, even if they have plenty of water, will ever grow very high and become proud, and lift their tops above the branches of other trees. I do not want any other tree to grow high like that cedar tree did; trees will all certainly die and decay in the ground, like people die and go down to their graves.’
15 So spricht der Herr, der Herr: 'Am Tag, da ich sie ließ ins Schattenreich fortziehen, da brachte ich den Ozean in Trauer ihrethalb und ließ ihn sich verhüllen. Und seine Ströme hielt ich an; die vielen Wasser hörten auf zu fließen. Ich hüllte ihretwegen auch den Libanon in Schwarz; des Feldes Bäume all verhüllten sich um sie. (Sheol h7585)
This is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘When that great tree was cut down, [it was as though] the springs that watered it mourned for it, because I caused the plentiful water [from the springs] to dry up. I caused [the mountains in] Lebanon to become black, and all the trees there to wither. (Sheol h7585)
16 Durch ihres Falles Lärm erschreckte ich die Heidenvölker, als ich sie in die Unterwelt versetzte zu denen, die zur Grube fuhren. Und alle Bäume Edens trösteten sich in der Erde Tiefen, die auserlesensten des Libanon, die Wasser tranken. (Sheol h7585)
I caused the people of other nations to tremble when they heard that tree fall to the ground. [They realized] that it would decay, like all people who die and are buried decay. And all the [leaders of other countries represented by] other beautiful trees in my garden in Eden and in Lebanon, were like beautiful trees [that were very proud]. They were ones which had roots that grew down deep into the [ground where there was plenty of] water. They were comforted when [the king represented by] [MET] that cedar tree was there with them in the place where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
17 Sie waren jetzt mit ihr zusammen in der Unterwelt bei denen, die durchs Schwert erschlagen wie ihre Helfer aus der Heidenwelt, die einst in ihrem Schatten weilten. (Sheol h7585)
The [leaders of other countries represented by] [MET] trees that grew in the shade of the huge tree, [the allies of] the great nation [that the cedar tree represents], had also joined those who had been killed by the sword and gone down to where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
18 Wem glichest du an Pracht und Größe unter Edens Bäumen? Nun fahre selbst hinab zu Edens Bäumen in der Erde Tiefen! Inmitten Nackter sollst du liegen, bei den Schwertdurchbohrten. Das ist des Pharao Geschick und seines großen Volkes.' Ein Spruch des Herrn, des Herrn."
[This parable is about you] people of Egypt. [You think that] [RHQ, IRO] there is no other nation that is as great and glorious as yours is. But your nation will also be destroyed, [as Assyria was], along with those other nations. Your people will be there among the other people who are not fit to worship me, people who have been killed by their enemies’ swords. That is what will happen to the king of Egypt and all his people. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, [have predicted it].’”
