Ezekiel 19

1 And thou, sone of man, take weiling on the princes of Israel;

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

2 and thou schalt seie, Whi thi modir, a lionesse, lai among liouns? In the myddis of litle liouns sche nurschide hir whelpis,

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

3 and ledde out oon of hir litle liouns; he was maad a lioun, and he lernyde to take prei, and to ete men.

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

4 And hethene men herden of hym, and token hym not withouten her woundis; and thei brouyten hym in chaynes in to the lond of Egipt.

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

5 Which modir whanne sche hadde seyn, that sche was sijk, and the abiding of hym perischide, took oon of her litle liouns, and made hym a lioun.

“‘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 Which yede among liouns, and was maad a lioun;

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

7 and lernede to take prey, and to deuoure men. He lernyde to make widewis, and to brynge the citees of men in to desert; and the lond and the fulnesse therof was maad desolat, of the vois of his roryng.

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

8 And hethene men camen togidere ayens hym on ech side fro prouynces, and spredden on hym her net; he was takun in the woundis of tho hethene men.

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

9 And thei senten hym in to a caue in chaines, and brouyten hym to the kyng of Babiloyne; and thei senten hym in to prisoun, that his vois were no more herd on the hillis of Israel.

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 Thi modir as a vyner in thi blood was plauntid on watre; the fruitis therof and the boowis therof encreessiden of many watris.

“‘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 And sadde yerdis weren maad to it in to septris of lordis, and the stature therof was enhaunsid among boowis; and it siy his hiynesse in the multitude of hise siouns.

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 And it was drawun out in wraththe, and was cast forth in to erthe; and a brennynge wynd dryede the fruyt therof, and the yerdis of strengthe therof welewiden, and weren maad drie, and fier eet it.

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 And now it is plauntid ouer in desert, in a lond with out weie, and thristi.

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

14 And fier yede out of the yerde of the braunchis therof, that eet the fruyt therof. And a stronge yerde, the ceptre of lordis, was not in it. It is weilyng, and it schal be in to weilyng.

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.”