Hesekiel 31

1 Und im elften Jahr, im dritten Monat, am ersten des Monats, da erging das Wort Jahwes an mich folgendermaßen:

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 Menschensohn, sprich zum Pharao, dem Könige von Ägypten und zu seinem Gepränge: Wem gleichst du in deiner Größe?

“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 Fürwahr, eine Ceder stand auf dem Libanon, schön von Astwerk und schattenspendender Belaubung und hoch an Wuchs, und zwischen den Wolken war ihr Wipfel.

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 Wasser hatte sie groß gemacht, die Flut sie hochgebracht; mit ihrer Strömung umzog sie rings die Stätte, wo jene gepflanzt war, und entsandte ihre Rinnsale zu allen Bäumen des Gefilds.

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 Daher überragte ihr Wuchs alle Bäume des Gefilds; es mehrten sich ihre Zweige, und es verlängerten sich ihre Äste von dem reichlichen Wasser.

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 In ihren Zweigen nisteten allerlei Vögel des Himmels, und unter ihren Ästen gebaren alle Tiere des Feldes, und in ihrem Schatten wohnten alle die vielen Völker.

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 Und sie war schön in ihrer Größe, durch die Länge ihrer Zweige, denn ihre Wurzel war an reichlichem Wasser.

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 Cedern verdunkelten sie nicht im Garten Gottes; Cypressen glichen ihr nicht mit ihren Zweigen. Platanen kamen ihr nicht gleich mit ihren Ästen; kein Baum im Garten Gottes glich ihr an Schönheit.

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 Schön hatte ich sie gemacht in der Fülle ihrer Zweige, und es beneideten sie alle Bäume Edens, die im Garten Gottes standen.

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 Darum spricht der Herr Jahwe also: Weil sie hoch ward an Wuchs und ihren Wipfel zwischen Wolken streckte, und weil ihr Sinn hochfahrend war infolge ihres Hochwachsens,

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 darum gab ich sie in die Gewalt eines Starken unter den Völkern, der sollte verfahren mit ihr nach seiner Bosheit, bis ich ihn vertrieben haben würde.

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 Und es fällten sie Fremde, grausamste Völker, und warfen sie hin. Auf die Berge und in alle Thäler fielen ihre Zweige, und ihre Äste lagen zerbrochen in allen Bachthälern des Landes, und alle Völker der Erde zogen fort aus ihrem Schatten und ließen sie liegen.

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 Auf ihrem gefällten Stamme wohnten alle Vögel des Himmels, und an ihre Äste kam alles Getier des Feldes,

Birds (settled/went to live) on the fallen tree, and wild animals lived among its branches.

14 damit keinerlei Bäume am Wasser wieder hoch an Wuchs würden und ihren Wipfel zwischen die Wolken streckten, und ihre gewaltigen nicht stolz daständen in ihrer Höhe, alle Wasser trinkenden. Denn sie alle sind dem Tode preisgegeben, daß sie hinab müssen in die Unterwelt, inmitten der Menschenkinder, zu den in die Gruft Hinabgestiegenen!

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 So spricht der Herr Jahwe: An dem Tage, da sie hinabfuhr in die Unterwelt, da ließ ich trauern über sie die Flut und hielt ihre Strömung zurück, und gehemmt wurden die reichlichen Wasser; in Schwarz hüllte ich ihretwegen den Libanon, und alle Bäume des Feldes waren ihretwegen verschmachtet. (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 Durch das Getöse ihres Falls machte ich die Völker erzittern, als ich sie in die Unterwelt hinabstieß zu den in die Gruft Hinabgestiegenen, und es trösteten sich in der Unterwelt alle Bäume Edens, die auserlesenen und besten des Libanon, alle Wasser trinkenden. (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 Auch sie fuhren mit ihr hinab in die Unterwelt zu den vom Schwert Erschlagenen, die in ihrem Schatten gewohnt hatten, inmitten der Völker. (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 Wem konntest du verglichen werden an Herrlichkeit und Größe unter den Bäumen Edens? Aber mit den Bäumen Edens wirst du hinabgestoßen werden in die Unterwelt; inmitten Unbeschnittener wirst du liegen bei den vom Schwert Erschlagenen: das ist der Pharao und all' sein Gepränge, ist der Spruch des Herrn Jahwe.

[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].’”