1 ث ُمَّ أتَتْ إلَيَّ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ:

And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

2 « يا إنْسانُ، تَكَلَّمْ بِهَذا اللُّغزِ، وَكَلِّمْ بَني إسْرائِيلَ بِهَذا اللُّغْزِ وَالمَثَلِ،

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel,

3 و َقُلْ: ‹يَقُولُ الرّبُّ الإلَهُ: «أتَى إلَى لُبنانَ نَسرٌ ضَخمٌ لَهُ أجنِحَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ. قَوادِمُهُ طَوِيلَةٌ وَرِيشُهُ مُتَعَدِّدُ الألوانِ. فَأخَذَ غُصناً مِنْ قِمَّةِ شَجَرَةِ أرْزٍ

and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A great eagle with great wings, long-pinioned, full of feathers, which was of divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar.

4 و َكَسَرَ أغصاناً صَغِيرَةً طَرِيَّةً مِنْ قِمَّةِ الشَّجَرَةِ، وَأخَذَها إلَى أرْضِ التُّجّارِ وَمَدِينَةِ الباعَةِ.

He cropped off the top of its young shoots, and carried it into a merchants' land; he set it in a city of traders.

5 ك َما أخَذَ بَعضَ البُذُورِ مِنْ تِلكَ الأرْضِ، وَزَرَعَها فِي الحُقُولِ المُعَدَّةِ لِلزِّراعَةِ. فَزَرَعَها قُربَ المِياهِ الغَزِيرَةِ، وَأقامَها كَشَجَرَةِ صَفْصافٍ.

And he took of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, he set it as a willow tree.

6 ف َنَمَتِ البُذُورُ وَصارَتْ كَرمَةً مُمتَدَّةٌ. وَمَعَ أنَّ جِذعَها كانَ قَصِيراً، لَكِنَّ فُرُوعَها بَدَأتْ تَمتَدُّ وَتَنمُو، وَكانَ لَها جُذُورٌ طَوِيلَةٌ وَمَتِينَةٌ. وَنَمَتْ حَتَّى أصبَحَتْ كَرمَةً أخرَجَتْ فُرُوعاً وَأنتَجَتْ ثَمَراً.

And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, so that its branches should turn toward him, and the roots thereof be under him; and it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.

7 « وَكانَ هُناكَ نَسرٌ عَظِيمٌ آخَرُ لَهُ أجنِحَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ جِدّاً. قَوادِمُهُ طَوِيلَةٌ وَمُكتَمِلَةٌ. فَأرسَلَتْ جُذُورَها نَحوَهُ، وَمَدَّتْ فُرُوعَها باتِّجاهِهِ لِيَسقِيها.

And there was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers; and behold, from the beds of her plantation, this vine did bend her roots unto him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it.

8 ك انَتِ الكَرمَةُ قَدْ غُرِسَتْ فِي حَقلٍ جَيِّدٍ، قُربَ مِياهٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، لِتُخرِجَ أغصاناً كَثِيرَةً وَثَمَراً كَثِيراً، لِتَنمُوَ وَتَصِيرَ كَرمَةً جَمِيلَةً.»

It was planted in a good field by many waters, that it might bring forth branches and bear fruit, that it might be a noble vine.

9 « هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ: هَلْ سَتَنجَحُ؟ ألَنْ تُقلَعَ جُذُورُها وَيُقطَعُ ثَمَرُها؟ ألَنْ يَيْبَسَ وَرَقُها وَيَمُوتُ؟ لَنْ يَحتاجَ قَلعُها مِنْ جُذُورِها إلَى أيدٍ قَوِيَّةٍ أوْ أُناسٍ كَثِيرِينَ.

Say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Shall it prosper? Shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither? All its fresh sprouting leaves shall wither, even without a great arm and many people to pluck it up by its roots.

10 ل َكِنْ إنْ نُقِلَتْ إلَى مَكانٍ آخَرٍ، فَهَلْ سَتَنمُو؟ ألَنْ تَيْبَسَ حِينَ تَهُبُّ الرِّيحُ الشَّرقِيَّةُ عَلَى البُستانِ الَّذِي زُرِعَتْ فِيهِ؟»

And behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither when the east wind toucheth it? It shall wither in the beds where it grew.

11 و َأتَتْ إلَيَّ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ:

And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

12 « قُلْ للِشَّعبِ المُتَمَرِّدِ: ‹ألا تَفهَمُونَ مَعنَى هَذِهِ الأمْثالِ؟ ها إنَّ مَلِكَ بابِلَ أتَى إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ وَأسَرَ مَلِكَها وَكُلَّ رُؤَسائِها وَأخَذَهُمْ إلَى بابِلَ.

Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things are? Say, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king and its princes, and led them with him to Babylon.

13 ث ُمَّ اختارَ مَلِكُ بابِلَ واحِداً مِنَ النَّسلِ المَلَكِيِّ وَقَطَعَ مَعَهُ عَهداً. وَجَعَلَهُ يُقْسِمُ عَلَى الوَلاءِ. وَأخَذَ الرِّجالَ المُقتَدِرِينَ ذَوِي النُّفُوذِ مِنَ الأرْضِ.

And he took of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and brought him under an oath, and he took away the mighty of the land;

14 ف َكانَ العَهدُ يَقضِي بِأنْ تَبقَى المَملَكَةُ خاضِعَةً فَلا تَرتَفِعُ، بَلْ تُحافِظُ عَلَى هَذا العَهْدِ مُقابِلَ سَلامَتِها.

that the kingdom might be abased, that it might not lift itself up, that it might keep his covenant in order to stand.

15 و َلَكِنَّ المَلِكَ تَمَرَّدَ عَلَى مَلِكِ بابِلَ، وَأرسَلَ مَبعُوثِينَ إلَى مِصرَ لإحضارِ خُيُولٍ وَجَيشٍ عَظِيمٍ. فَهَلْ سَيَنجَحُ؟ هَلْ سَيَنجُو مِنَ العِقابِ؟ هَلْ يَنجُو مَنْ يَفعَلُ ذَلِكَ؟ هَلْ يَنجُو مَنْ يَكسِرُ العَهدَ؟»

But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape?

16 ي َقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ: «أُقسِمُ بِذاتِي إنَّ ذَلِكَ المَلِكَ سَيَمُوتُ فِي بابِلَ. عَيَّنَهُ مَلِكُ بابِلَ عَلَى أرْضِ يَهُوذا، لَكِنَّهُ نَكَثَ بِقَسَمِهِ، وَكَسَرَ العَهْدَ مَعَ مَلِكِ بابِلَ.

I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, verily in the place of the king that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him, in the midst of Babylon, shall he die.

17 ل َن تَأتِي قُوّاتُ فِرعَوْنَ وَجُيُوشُهُ الضَّخمَةُ لِمُساعَدَتِهِ فِي وَقتِ الحَربِ. فَسَتُبنَى حَواجِزُ تُرابِيَّةٌ وَأبراجُ حِصارٍ عِندَ الأسوارِ، لِلقَضاءِ عَلَى نُفُوسٍ كَثِيرَةٍ.

Neither shall Pharaoh with a mighty army and a great assemblage do anything for him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons.

18 ف َلأنَّهُ احتَقَرَ القَسَمَ وَكَسَرَ العَهدَ بَعْدَ أنْ رَفَعَ يَدَهُ وَأقسَمَ، لَنْ يَنجُو.»

He despised the oath, and broke the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, yet hath he done all these things: he shall not escape.

19 و َلِهَذا، يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ: «أُقسِمُ بِذاتِي إنِّي سَأُحَمِّلُهُ نتيجَةَ قَسَمِي الَّذِي احتَقَرَهُ وَعَهدِي الَّذِي كَسَرَهُ!

Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I live, verily, mine oath which he hath despised, and my covenant which he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his head.

20 س َأُلقِي بِشَبَكَتِي عَلَيهِ، وَسَيَعلَقُ بِفَخِّي. سَأحمِلُهُ إلَى بابِلَ، وَهُناكَ سَأُدِينُهُ عَلَى التَّمَرُّدِ عَلَيَّ وَخِيانَتِهِ لِي.

And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his unfaithfulness in which he hath been unfaithful against me.

21 س َيُحاوِلُ الكَثِيرُ مِنْ جُيُوشِهِ الهَرَبَ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ سَيُقتَلُونَ بِالسَّيفِ. وَالَّذِينَ سَيَبقُونَ سَيَتَبَعثَرُونَ فِي كُلِّ مَكانٍ. حِينَئِذٍ، سَيَعرِفُونَ أنِّي أنا اللهَ تَكَلَّمْتُ.»

And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind; and ye shall know that I Jehovah have spoken.

22 ه َذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ: «سَآخُذُ غُصناً مِنْ أعلَى شَجَرَةِ الأرْزِ. سَأقطَعُ غُصناً طَرِيّاً مِنْ قِمَّتِها، وَسَأزرَعُهُ بِنَفسِي عَلَى جَبَلٍ عالٍ وَمُرتَفِعٍ.

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will also take of the highest branch of the lofty cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of its young shoots a tender one, and I will plant it upon a high and eminent mountain:

23 س َأغرِسُهُ عَلَى جَبَلٍ عالٍ فِي إسْرائِيلَ، وَسَيُنْبِتُ أغصاناً وَ ثَمَراً. سَتُصبِحُ أشَّجارَ أرزٍ جَمِيلَةً تَسكُنُ تَحتَها العَصافِيرُ بِأنواعِها، وَتُعَشِّشُ فِي ظِلَّ أغصانِها جَميعُ أنواعِ الطُّيُورِ.

upon the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth branches, and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar; and under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

24 « حِينَئِذٍ، سَتَعرِفُ كُلُّ أشجارِ الحَقلِ أنِّي، أنا اللهَ ، أخفَضْتُ الشَّجَرَ الطَّوِيلَ وَرَفَعْتُ القَصِيرَ، يَبَّسْتُ الشَّجَرَةَ الخَضْراءَ، وَمَلأتُ اليابِسَةَ بِالبَراعِمِ.»

And all the trees of the field shall know that I Jehovah have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and made the dry tree to flourish: I Jehovah have spoken, and will do.