19
A Lament for the Princes of Israel
1 “As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel 2 and say:
‘What was your mother?
A lioness among the lions!
She lay down among the young lions;
she reared her cubs.
3 She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a young lion.
After learning to tear his prey,
he devoured men.
4 When the nations heard of him,
he was trapped in their pit.
With hooks they led him away
to the land of Egypt.
5 When she saw that she had waited in vain,
that her hope was lost,
she took another of her cubs
and made him a young lion.
6 He prowled among the lions,
and became a young lion.
After learning to tear his prey,
he devoured men.
7 He broke down their strongholds * 19:7 Or He knew their widows or He seized their widows
and devastated their cities.
The land and everything in it
shuddered at the sound of his roaring.
8 Then the nations set out against him
from the provinces on every side.
They spread their net over him;
he was trapped in their pit.
9 With hooks they caged him
and brought him to the king of Babylon.
They brought him into captivity
so that his roar was heard no longer
on the mountains of Israel.
10 Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,† 19:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts in your bloodline
planted by the water;
it was fruitful and full of branches
because of the abundant waters.
11 It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high above the thick branches,
conspicuous for its height
and for its dense foliage.
12 But it was uprooted in fury,
cast down to the ground,
and the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong branches were stripped off
and they withered;
the fire consumed them.
13 Now it is planted in the wilderness,
in a dry and thirsty land.
14 Fire has gone out from its main branch
and devoured its fruit;
on it no strong branch remains
fit for a ruler’s scepter.’
This is a lament and shall be used as a lament.”