CHAPTER 19
and say:
‘What
was your mother?
A lioness
among
the lions!
She lay down
among
the young lions;
she reared
her cubs.
She brought up
one
of her cubs,
and he became
a young lion.
After learning
to tear
his prey,
he devoured
men.
When the nations
heard
of him,
he was trapped
in their pit.
With hooks
they led him away
to
the land
of Egypt.
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.
He prowled
among
the lions,
and became
a young lion.
After learning
to tear
his prey,
he devoured
men.
He broke down
their strongholds
and devastated
their cities.
The land
and all who were in it
shuddered
at the sound
of his roaring.
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.
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.
Your mother
was like a vine
in your vineyard,
planted
by
the water;
it was fruitful
and full of branches
because of the abundant
waters.
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.
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.
Fire
has gone out
from its main branch
and devoured
its fruit,
and no
strong
branch
that remains
is fit for a ruler's
scepter.’
This
is a lament
and shall be used
as a lament.”