1 M oreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

“As for you, sing a song of sorrow for the leaders of Israel,

2 A nd say, What a lioness was your mother! She couched among lions; in the midst of young lions she nourished her cubs.

and say: ‘What was your mother? A female lion among lions! She lay down with young lions. She raised her young ones.

3 A nd she brought up one of her cubs; he became a young lion and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men.

She brought up one of her little ones, and he became a lion. He learned to catch his food. He ate men.

4 T he nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

The nations heard about him, and he was caught in their trap. And they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

5 N ow when she had waited, she saw her hope was lost. Then she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

Your mother waited until she saw that her hope was lost. Then she took another of her little ones and made him a young lion.

6 A nd he went up and down among the lions; he became a young lion and learned to catch prey, and he devoured men.

He walked up and down among the lions. He became a young lion and learned to catch his food. He ate men.

7 A nd he knew and ravaged their strongholds and he laid waste their cities, and the land was appalled and all who were in it by the noise of his roaring.

He wrecked their strong towers and destroyed their cities. The land and all who were in it were filled with fear because of the loud noise he made.

8 T hen the nations set against on every side from the provinces, and they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.

Then the nations came against him from their lands all around. They spread their net over him, and he was caught in their trap.

9 W ith hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into custody and put him in strongholds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

They put him in a prison with chains and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison so that his voice would never be heard again on the mountains of Israel.

10 Y our mother was like a vine planted by the waters; it was fruitful and full of branches by reason of abundant water.

Your mother was like a vine in your grape-field, planted by the water. It gave much fruit and was full of branches because there was much water.

11 A nd it had strong rods for the scepters of those who bore rule and its height was exalted among the thick branches and into the clouds, and it was seen in its height among the multitude of its branches and was conspicuous.

Its branches were strong enough to be made into sticks held by rulers to show their power. It grew as high as the clouds. Everyone saw how high it was and that it had many branches.

12 B ut the vine was plucked up in God’s wrath and it was cast down to the ground; the east wind dried up its fruit; its strong rods were broken off and withered; the fire consumed them.

But it was pulled up by the roots in anger and thrown down to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branch was torn off so that it dried up. And fire destroyed it.

13 A nd now it is transplanted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.

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

14 A nd fire went out of a rod of its branches which has consumed the vine’s fruit, so that it has in it no strong rod to be a scepter for ruling. This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation and a dirge.

Fire has spread from its largest branch and has destroyed its young branches and its fruit. No strong branch is left on it to be made into a stick for a ruler.’ This is a song of sorrow, and is to be used as a death song.”