Ezekiel 19
A Sad Song for Israel
1 “Sing a funeral song for the leaders of Israel.
2 Say:
‘Your mother was like a female lion.
She lay down among the young lions. She had many cubs.
3 When she brought up one of her cubs, he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the animals he hunted, and he ate people.
4 The nations heard about him. He was trapped in their pit,
and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5 “ ‘The mother lion waited and saw that there was no hope for her cub.
So she took another one of her cubs and made him a strong lion.
6 This cub roamed among the lions. He was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the animals he hunted, and he ate people.
7 He tore down their strong places and destroyed their cities.
The land and everything in it were terrified by the sound of his roar.
8 Then the nations came against him from areas all around,
and they spread their net over him. He was trapped in their pit.
9 Then they put him into a cage with chains and brought him to the king of Babylon.
They put him into prison so his roar could not be heard again on the mountains of Israel.
10 “ ‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted beside the water.
The vine had many branches and gave much fruit, because there was plenty of water.
11 The vine had strong branches, good enough for a king’s scepter.
The vine became tall among the thick branches.
And it was seen, because it was tall with many branches.
12 But it was pulled up by its roots in anger and thrown down to the ground.
The east wind dried it up. Its fruit was torn off.
Its strong branches were broken off and burned up.
13 Now the vine is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land.
14 Fire spread from the vine’s main branch, destroying its fruit.
There is not a strong branch left on it that could become a scepter for a king.’
This is a funeral song; it is to be used as a funeral song.”
Ezekiel 19
Lament for the Princes of Israel
1 “And you, singt a lament for the princes of Israel,
2 and say:
“‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions!
She lay among young lions;s she reared her cubs.
3 She reared one of her cubs; he became a young lion.
He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.t
4 The nations heard about him; he was trapped in their pit.
They brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.s
5 “‘When she realized that she waited in vain, her hope was lost.
She took another of her cubss and made him a young lion.
6 He walked about among the lions; he became a young lion.
He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.
7 He broke downs their strongholdss and devastated their cities.
The land and everything in it was frightened at the sound of his roaring.
8 The nations – the surrounding regions – attacked him.
They threw their net over him; he was caught in their pit.
9 They put him in a collar with hooks;t
they brought him to the king of Babylon;
they brought him to prisons
so that his voice would not be heard
any longer on the mountains of Israel.
10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,s planted by water.
It was fruitful and full of branches because it was well-watered.
11 Its boughs were strong, fitt for rulers’ scepters; it reached up into the clouds.
It stood out because of its height and its many branches.t
12 But it was plucked up in anger; it was thrown down to the ground.
The east winds dried up its fruit;
its strong branches broke off and withered –
a fire consumed them.
13 Now it is planted in the wilderness,
in a dry and thirsty land.s
14 A fire has gone out from its branch; it has consumed its shoot and its fruit.t
No strong branch was left in it, nor a scepter to rule.’
This is a lament song, and has become a lament song.”