1 A nd thou, lift up a lamentation unto princes of Israel,

Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

2 a nd thou hast said: What thy mother? -- a lioness, Among lions she hath crouched down, In the midst of young lions she hath multiplied her whelps.

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

3 A nd she bringeth up one of her whelps, A young lion it hath been, And it learneth to tear prey, man it hath devoured.

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

4 A nd hear of it do nations, In their pit it hath been caught, And they bring it in with chains unto the land of Egypt.

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

5 A nd she seeth, that stayed -- perished hath her hope, And she taketh one of her whelps, A young lion she hath made it.

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

6 A nd it goeth up and down in the midst of lions, A young lion it hath been, And it learneth to tear prey, man it hath devoured.

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

7 A nd it knoweth his forsaken habitations, And their cities it hath laid waste, And desolate is the land and its fulness, Because of the voice of his roaring.

And 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.

8 A nd set against it do nations Round about from the provinces. And they spread out for it their net, In their pit it hath been caught.

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

9 A nd they put it in prison -- in chains, And they bring it unto the king of Babylon, They bring it in unto bulwarks, So that its voice is not heard any more On mountains of Israel.

With 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.

10 T hy mother as a vine in thy blood by waters planted, Fruitful and full of boughs it hath been, Because of many waters.

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

11 A nd it hath strong rods for sceptres of rulers, And high is its stature above thick branches, And it appeareth in its height In the multitude of its thin shoots.

And 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.

12 A nd it is plucked up in fury, To the earth it hath been cast, And the east wind hath dried up its fruit, Broken and withered hath been the rod of its strength, Fire hath consumed it.

But 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.

13 A nd now -- it is planted in a wilderness, In a land dry and thirsty.

And now it is transplanted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.

14 A nd go forth doth fire from a rod of its boughs, Its fruit it hath devoured, And it hath no rod of strength -- a sceptre to rule, Lamentation it -- and it is for a lamentation!'

And 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.