Hiezechielis Prophetæ 17
1 et factum est verbum Domini ad me dicens
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 fili hominis propone enigma et narra parabolam ad domum Israhel
“Son of man, present this riddle—share it as a parable with the people of Israel.
3 et dices haec dicit Dominus Deus aquila grandis magnarum alarum longo membrorum ductu plena plumis et varietate venit ad Libanum et tulit medullam cedri
Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: There was a great eagle that had large wings, long feathers, and multi-colored plumage. It came to Lebanon and took off the top of the cedar.
4 summitatem frondium eius avellit et transportavit eam in terram Chanaan in urbem negotiatorum posuit illam
He broke off its highest branch and took it to a country of merchants, and planted it in a city of traders.
5 et tulit de semente terrae et posuit illud in terra pro semine ut firmaret radicem super aquas multas in superficie posuit illud
He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in good soil beside a large river where he could grow it like a willow.
6 cumque germinasset crevit in vineam latiorem humili statura respicientibus ramis eius ad eam et radices eius sub illa erunt facta est ergo vinea et fructificavit in palmites et emisit propagines
The seed sprouted and grew into a low, spreading vine, with its branches facing toward him, and its roots went down into the ground beneath. So the vine developed, growing leaves and branches.
7 et facta est aquila altera grandis magnis alis multisque plumis et ecce vinea ista quasi mittens radices suas ad eam palmites suos extendit ad illam ut inrigaret eam de areolis germinis sui
But there was another great eagle that had large wings and many feathers. This vine sent out its roots toward him. It stretched out its branches to him from where it had been planted, wanting him to water it.
8 in terra bona super aquas multas plantata est ut faciat frondes et portet fructum et sit in vineam grandem
Yet it had been planted in good soil beside a large river so it could grow strong, produce fruit, and become a superb vine.
9 dic haec dicit Dominus Deus ergone prosperabitur nonne radices eius evellet et fructum eius distringet et siccabit omnes palmites germinis eius et arescet et non in brachio grandi neque in populo multo ut evelleret eam radicitus
So you tell them this is what the Lord God says: ‘Will it grow well? Won't it be uprooted and its fruit ripped off so that it withers? All its leaves will dry up. You wouldn't need strong arms or lots of people to pull it up by its roots.
10 ecce plantata est ergone prosperabitur nonne cum tetigerit eam ventus urens siccabitur et in areis germinis sui arescet
Even if it's transplanted, is it going to survive? Won't it wither up completely when the east wind blows? In fact, it will wither right where it was planted.”
11 et factum est verbum Domini ad me dicens
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
12 dic ad domum exasperantem nescitis quid ista significent dic ecce venit rex Babylonis Hierusalem et adsumet regem et principes eius et adducet eos ad semet ipsum in Babylonem
“Tell these rebellious people: ‘Don't you know what this riddle means?’ Explain to them, ‘Look, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, made its king and officials his prisoners, and took them back with him to Babylon.
13 et tollet de semine regni ferietque cum eo foedus et accipiet ab eo iusiurandum sed et fortes terrae tollet
He made an agreement with one of the royal family and made him take an oath that he would be a loyal subject as king. Then he took into exile the country's leaders,
14 ut sit regnum humile et non elevetur sed custodiat pactum eius et servet illud
so that the kingdom would be kept in subjection and wouldn't be strong enough to rebel—it would only survive by keeping its agreement with him.
15 qui recedens ab eo misit nuntios ad Aegyptum ut daret sibi equos et populum multum numquid prosperabitur vel consequetur salutem qui fecit haec et qui dissolvit pactum numquid effugiet
However, this king did rebel against Babylon, and sent ambassadors to Egypt to ask for help by supplying horses and many soldiers. Will he do well? Would someone who acts like this succeed? Could he break an agreement and not be punished?’
16 vivo ego dicit Dominus Deus quoniam in loco regis qui constituit eum regem cuius fecit irritum iuramentum et solvit pactum quod habebat cum eo in medio Babylonis morietur
As I live, declares the Lord God, ‘he is going to die in Babylon, in the country of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he disregarded and whose agreement he broke.
17 et non in exercitu grandi neque in populo multo faciet contra eum Pharao proelium in iactu aggeris et in extructione vallorum ut interficiat animas multas
Pharaoh with his powerful army of many soldiers won't help him in battle, when attack ramps are piled up and siege walls built and many people end up being killed.
18 spreverat enim iuramentum ut solveret foedus et ecce dedit manum suam et cum omnia haec fecerit non effugiet
He disregarded his oath by breaking the agreement. Because he shook hands as a sign of the promise he made, yet rebelled in this way, he won't go unpunished!’
19 propterea haec dicit Dominus Deus vivo ego quoniam iuramentum quod sprevit et foedus quod praevaricatus est ponam in caput eius
So this is what the Lord God says: As I live, I will punish him for disregarding my oath and for breaking my agreement.
20 et expandam super eum rete meum et conprehendetur sagena mea et adducam eum in Babylonem et iudicabo illum ibi in praevaricatione qua despexit me
I will throw my net over him and catch him; I will trap in my snare. I will take him to Babylon and sentence him to punishment there for his treason towards me.
21 et omnes profugi eius cum universo agmine gladio cadent residui autem in omnem ventum dispergentur et scietis quia ego Dominus locutus sum
All his best soldiers will be killed in battle, and those who do survive will be scattered in all directions. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken.
22 haec dicit Dominus Deus et sumam ego de medulla cedri sublimis et ponam de vertice ramorum eius tenerum distringam et plantabo super montem excelsum et eminentem
This is what the Lord God says: I'm going to break off a branch from the high top of the cedar, and I will plant it on the top of a high mountain.
23 in monte sublimi Israhel plantabo illud et erumpet in germen et faciet fructum et erit in cedrum magnam et habitabunt sub eo omnes volucres universum volatile sub umbra frondium eius nidificabit
I will plant it on Israel's high mountain so that it can grow branches, produce fruit and become a magnificent cedar. All kinds of birds will live in it, nesting in the shade of its branches.
24 et scient omnia ligna regionis quia ego Dominus humiliavi lignum sublime et exaltavi lignum humile et siccavi lignum viride et frondere feci lignum aridum ego Dominus locutus sum et feci
All the trees in the countryside will know that I am the Lord. I can bring down the tall and have the low tree grow tall. I can make the green tree dry up, and make the withered tree become green again. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.”
