Hiezechielis Prophetæ 31
1 et factum est in undecimo anno tertio una mensis factum est verbum Domini ad me dicens
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 fili hominis dic Pharaoni regi Aegypti et populo eius cui similis factus es in magnitudine tua
“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 ecce Assur quasi cedrus in Libano pulcher ramis et frondibus nemorosus excelsusque altitudine et inter condensas frondes elevatum est cacumen eius
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 aquae nutrierunt illum abyssus exaltavit eum flumina eius manabant in circuitu radicum eius et rivos suos emisit ad universa ligna regionis
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 propterea elevata est altitudo eius super omnia ligna regionis et multiplicata sunt arbusta eius et elevati sunt rami eius prae aquis multis
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 cumque extendisset umbram suam in ramis eius fecerunt nidos omnia volatilia caeli et sub frondibus eius genuerunt omnes bestiae saltuum et sub umbraculo illius habitabat coetus gentium plurimarum
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 eratque pulcherrimus in magnitudine sua et in dilatatione arbustorum suorum erat enim radix illius iuxta aquas multas
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 cedri non fuerunt altiores illo in paradiso Dei abietes non adaequaverunt summitatem eius et platani non fuerunt aequae frondibus illius omne lignum paradisi Dei non est adsimilatum illi et pulchritudini eius
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 quoniam speciosum feci eum et multis condensisque frondibus et aemulata sunt eum omnia ligna voluptatis quae erant in paradiso Dei
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 propterea haec dicit Dominus Deus pro eo quod sublimatus est in altitudine et dedit summitatem suam virentem atque condensam et elevatum est cor eius in altitudine sua
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 tradidi eum in manu fortissimi gentium faciens faciet ei iuxta impietatem eius eieci eum
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 et succident illum alieni et crudelissimi nationum et proicient eum super montes et in cunctis convallibus corruent rami eius et confringentur arbusta eius in universis rupibus terrae et recedent de umbraculo eius omnes populi terrae et relinquent eum
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 in ruina eius habitaverunt omnia volatilia caeli et in ramis eius fuerunt universae bestiae regionis
Birds (settled/went to live) on the fallen tree, and wild animals lived among its branches.
14 quam ob rem non elevabuntur in altitudine sua omnia ligna aquarum neque ponent sublimitatem suam inter nemorosa atque frondosa nec stabunt in sublimitate eorum omnia quae inrigantur aquis quia omnes traditi sunt in mortem ad terram ultimam in medio filiorum hominum ad eos qui descendunt in lacum
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 haec dicit Dominus Deus in die quando descendit ad inferos indixi luctum operui eum abysso et prohibui flumina eius et coercui aquas multas contristatus est super eum Libanus et omnia ligna agri concussa sunt (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 a sonitu ruinae eius commovi gentes cum deducerem eum ad infernum cum his qui descendebant in lacum et consolata sunt in terra infima omnia ligna voluptatis egregia atque praeclara in Libano universa quae inrigabantur aquis (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 nam et ipsi cum ea descendent ad infernum ad interfectos gladio et brachium uniuscuiusque sedebit sub umbraculo eius in medio nationum (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 cui adsimilatus es o inclite atque sublimis inter ligna voluptatis ecce deductus es cum lignis voluptatis ad terram ultimam in medio incircumcisorum dormies cum his qui interfecti sunt gladio ipse est Pharao et omnis multitudo eius dicit Dominus Deus
[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].’”
