1 And the word of our Lord was made to me, saying:
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 Son of man, propose a dark speech, and tell a parable to the house of Israel,
2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,
3 and thou shalt say: Thus saith our Lord God: A great eagle with great wings, with a long reach of members, full of feathers, and of variety, came to Libanus, and took the marrow of the cedar.
3 And say: Thus saith the Lord God; A large eagle with great wings, long-limbed, full of feathers, and of variety, came to Libanus, and took away the marrow of the cedar.
4 He plucked away the top of the boughs thereof: and transported it into the Land of Chanaan, in the city of merchants he did put it.
4 He cropped off the top of the twigs thereof: and carried it away into the land of Chanaan, and he set it in a city of merchants.
5 And he took of the seed of the land, & put it in the ground for seed, that it might fasten the root over many waters: he planted it in the overmost part of the earth.
5 And he took of the seed of the land, and put it in the ground for seed, that it might take a firm root over many waters: he planted it on the surface of the earth.
6 And when it had budded, it grew into a broad spreading vine of low stature, the boughs thereof looking toward it: and the roots thereof were under it. It became a vine then, and fructified into branches, and put forth shoots.
6 And it sprung up and grew into a spreading vine of low stature, and the branches thereof looked towards him: and the roots thereof were under him. So it became a vine, and grew into branches, and shot forth sprigs.
7 And there was made another great eagle, with great wings, and many feathers: and behold this vine as it were spreading her roots towards it, stretched forth her branches to it, that she might water it from the beds of her spring.
7 And there was another large eagle, with great wings, and many feathers: and behold this vine, bending as it were her roots towards him, stretched forth her branches to him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
8 In a good ground upon many waters it was planted, that it might bring forth branches, & bear fruit, that it might be into a great vine.
8 It was planted in a good ground upon many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and bear fruit, that it might become a large vine.
9 Say: Thus saith our Lord God: shall it prosper then? Shall he not pluck up the roots thereof, & strip off the fruits thereof, dry up all the branches of the spring thereof, & it shall wither: & not in a great arm, nor in much people, to pluck it up by the root?
9 Say thou: Thus saith the Lord God: Shall it prosper then? Shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and strip off its fruit, and dry up all the branches it hath shot forth, and make it wither: and this without a strong arm, or many people to pluck it up by the root?
10 Behold it is planted: shall it prosper them? Shall it not be dried when the burning wind shall touch it, and wither in the beds of the spring thereof?
10 Behold, it is planted: shall it prosper then? Shall it not be dried up when the burning wind shall touch it, and shall it not wither in the furrows where it grew?
11 And the word of our Lord was made to me saying:
11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
12 Say to the exasperating house: Know you not what these things do signify? Say: Behold the king of Babylon cometh into Jerusalem: and he shall take the king and the princes thereof, and shall bring them to himself into Babylon.
12 Say to the provoking house: Know you not what these things mean? Tell them: Behold the king of Babylon cometh to Jerusalem: and he shall take away the king and the princes thereof and carry them with him to Babylon.
13 And he shall take of the seed of the kingdom, and shall make a covenant with it, and shall take an oath of it. Yea and he shall take away the strong of the land,
13 And he shall take one of the king’s seed, and make a covenant with him, and take an oath of him. Yea, and he shall take away the mighty men of the land,
14 that it may be a low kingdom, & not be elevated, but keep his covenant, and observe it.
14 That it may be a low kingdom and not lift itself up, but keep his covenant and observe it.
15 Who revolting from him sent messengers to Ægypt, that it would give him horses, and much people. What, shall he prosper, or get salvation that hath done these things? And he that broke the covenant, shall he escape?
15 But he hath revolted from him and sent ambassadors to Egypt, that it might give him horses, and much people. And shall he that hath done thus prosper, or be saved? And shall he escape that hath broken the covenant?
16 Live I, saith our Lord God: that in the place of the king that made him king, whose oath he made frustrate, and brake the covenant, that he had with him, in the midst of Babylon shall he die.
16 As I live, saith the Lord God: In the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he hath made void, and whose covenant he broke, even in the midst of Babylon shall he die.
17 And not in a great army, nor in much people shall Pharao make battle against him: in the casting up of a ramper, and in the building of bulwarks, to kill many souls.
17 And not with a great army, nor with much people shall Pharao fight against him: when he shall cast up mounts, and build forts, to cut off many souls.
18 For he had despised the oath, that he might break the covenant, and behold he gave his hand, & when he hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
18 For he had despised the oath, breaking his covenant, and behold he hath given his hand: and having done all these things, he shall not escape.
19 Therefore thus saith our Lord God: Live I, that the oath which he hath despised, and the covenant, that he transgressed, I will lay on his head.
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: As I live, I will lay upon his head the oath he hath despised, and the covenant he hath broken.
20 And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my net: and I will bring him into Babylon, and will judge him there in the prevarication, whereby he hath despised me.
20 ¹And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my net: and I will bring him into Babylon, and will judge him there for the transgression by which he hath despised me.
21 And all his fugitives with all their troop shall fall by the sword: and the residue shall be dispersed into every wind: and you shall know that I the Lord have spoken.
21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword: and the residue shall be scattered into every wind: and you shall know that I the Lord have spoken.
22 Thus saith our Lord God: And I will take of the marrow of the high cedar, and will set it: of the top of the boughs thereof the tender one I will strip off, and will plant it upon a mountain high and eminent.
22 Thus saith the Lord God: I myself will take of the marrow of the high cedar, and will set it: I will crop off a tender twig from the top of the branches thereof, and I will plant it on a mountain high and eminent.
23 On the high mountains of Israel will I plant it, and it shall shoot forth into a bud, and shall yield fruit, and it shall be into a great cedar: and all birds, and every fowl shall dwell under the shadow of the boughs thereof, and shall there make their nest.
23 On the high mountains of Israel will I plant it, and it shall shoot forth into branches and shall bear fruit, and it shall become a great cedar: and all birds shall dwell under it, and every fowl shall make its nest under the shadow of the branches thereof.
24 And all the trees of the country shall know, that I the Lord have humbled the high tree, & exalted the low tree: and have dried the green tree, and have caused the dry tree to spring, I the Lord have spoken, and have done it.
24 And all the trees of the country shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, and exalted the low tree: and have dried up the green tree, and have caused the dry tree to flourish. I the Lord have spoken and have done it.