Ezekiel 17
1 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
耶和華的話臨到我說：
2 “Son of man, present this riddle—share it as a parable with the people of Israel.
「人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，
3 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.
說主耶和華如此說：有一大鷹，翅膀大，翎毛長，羽毛豐滿，彩色俱備，來到黎巴嫩，將香柏樹梢擰去，
4 He broke off its highest branch and took it to a country of merchants, and planted it in a city of traders.
就是折去香柏樹儘尖的嫩枝，叼到貿易之地，放在買賣城中；
5 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.
又將以色列地的枝子栽於肥田裏，插在大水旁，如插柳樹，
6 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.
就漸漸生長，成為蔓延矮小的葡萄樹。其枝轉向那鷹，其根在鷹以下，於是成了葡萄樹，生出枝子，發出小枝。
7 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.
「又有一大鷹，翅膀大，羽毛多。這葡萄樹從栽種的畦中向這鷹彎過根來，發出枝子，好得它的澆灌。
8 Yet it had been planted in good soil beside a large river so it could grow strong, produce fruit, and become a superb vine.
這樹栽於肥田多水的旁邊，好生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的葡萄樹。
9 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.
你要說，主耶和華如此說：這葡萄樹豈能發旺呢？鷹豈不拔出它的根來，芟除它的果子，使它枯乾，使它發的嫩葉都枯乾了嗎？也不用大力和多民，就拔出它的根來。
10 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.”
葡萄樹雖然栽種，豈能發旺呢？一經東風，豈不全然枯乾嗎？必在生長的畦中枯乾了。」
11 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
耶和華的話臨到我說：
12 “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.
「你對那悖逆之家說：你們不知道這些事是甚麼意思嗎？你要告訴他們說，巴比倫王曾到耶路撒冷，將其中的君王和首領帶到巴比倫自己那裏去。
13 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,
從以色列的宗室中取一人與他立約，使他發誓，並將國中有勢力的人擄去，
14 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.
使國低微不能自強，惟因守盟約得以存立。
15 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?’
他卻背叛巴比倫王，打發使者往埃及去，要他們給他馬匹和多民。他豈能亨通呢？行這樣事的人豈能逃脫呢？他背約豈能逃脫呢？
16 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.
他輕看向王所起的誓，背棄王與他所立的約。主耶和華說：我指着我的永生起誓，他定要死在立他作王、巴比倫王的京都。
17 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.
敵人築壘造臺，與他打仗的時候，為要剪除多人，法老雖領大軍隊和大群眾，還是不能幫助他。
18 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!’
他輕看誓言，背棄盟約，已經投降，卻又做這一切的事，他必不能逃脫。」
19 So this is what the Lord God says: As I live, I will punish him for disregarding my oath and for breaking my agreement.
所以主耶和華如此說：「我指着我的永生起誓，他既輕看指我所起的誓，背棄指我所立的約，我必要使這罪歸在他頭上。
20 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.
我必將我的網撒在他身上，他必在我的網羅中纏住。我必帶他到巴比倫，並要在那裏因他干犯我的罪刑罰他。
21 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.
他的一切軍隊，凡逃跑的，都必倒在刀下；所剩下的，也必分散四方。你們就知道說這話的是我－耶和華。」
22 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.
主耶和華如此說：「我要將香柏樹梢擰去栽上，就是從儘尖的嫩枝中折一嫩枝，栽於極高的山上；
23 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.
在以色列高處的山栽上。它就生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的香柏樹，各類飛鳥都必宿在其下，就是宿在枝子的蔭下。
24 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.”
田野的樹木都必知道我－耶和華使高樹矮小，矮樹高大；青樹枯乾，枯樹發旺。我－耶和華如此說，也如此行了。」
