以西結書 19

1 你當為以色列的王作起哀歌，

“Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

2 說： 你的母親是甚麼呢？ 是個母獅子，蹲伏在獅子中間， 在少壯獅子中養育小獅子。

and say, ‘What was your mother? A lioness. She couched among lions, in the middle of the young lions she nourished her cubs.

3 在牠小獅子中養大一個， 成了少壯獅子， 學會抓食而吃人。

She brought up one of her cubs. He became a young lion. He learned to catch the prey. He devoured men.

4 列國聽見了就把牠捉在他們的坑中， 用鉤子拉到埃及地去。

The nations also heard of him. He was taken in their pit; and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

5 母獅見自己等候失了指望， 就從牠小獅子中又將一個養為少壯獅子。

“‘Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her cubs, and made him a young lion.

6 牠在眾獅子中走來走去， 成了少壯獅子， 學會抓食而吃人。

He went up and down among the lions. He became a young lion. He learned to catch the prey. He devoured men.

7 牠知道列國的宮殿， 又使他們的城邑變為荒場； 因牠咆哮的聲音， 遍地和其中所有的就都荒廢。

He knew their palaces, and laid waste their cities. The land was desolate with its fullness, because of the noise of his roaring.

8 於是四圍邦國各省的人來攻擊牠， 將網撒在牠身上， 捉在他們的坑中。

Then the nations attacked him on every side from the provinces. They spread their net over him. He was taken in their pit.

9 他們用鉤子鉤住牠，將牠放在籠中， 帶到巴比倫王那裏， 將牠放入堅固之所， 使牠的聲音在以色列山上不再聽見。

They put him in a cage with hooks, and brought him to the king of Babylon. They brought him into strongholds, so that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel.

10 你的母親先前如葡萄樹， 極其茂盛，栽於水旁。 因為水多， 就多結果子，滿生枝子；

“‘Your mother was like a vine in your blood, planted by the waters. It was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

11 生出堅固的枝幹，可作掌權者的杖。 這枝幹高舉在茂密的枝中， 而且它生長高大，枝子繁多， 遠遠可見。

It had strong branches for the scepters of those who ruled. Their stature was exalted among the thick boughs. They were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.

12 但這葡萄樹因忿怒被拔出摔在地上； 東風吹乾其上的果子， 堅固的枝幹折斷枯乾， 被火燒毀了；

But it was plucked up in fury. It was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were broken off and withered. The fire consumed them.

13 如今栽於曠野乾旱無水之地。

Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.

14 火也從它枝幹中發出， 燒滅果子， 以致沒有堅固的枝幹可做掌權者的杖。 這是哀歌，也必用以作哀歌。

Fire has gone out of its branches. It has devoured its fruit, so that there is in it no strong branch to be a scepter to rule.’ This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.”