以色列的哀歌
1“你要为以色列的首领唱哀歌， 2说，
“‘你的母亲像什么？
她就像狮群中的母狮，
卧在雄壮的狮子中养育幼狮。
3她养大一只幼狮，
使它成为雄壮的狮子。
它学会了捕食吃人。
4列国的人知道后，
便设陷阱捉住它，
用钩子拉到埃及。
5母狮盼着它回来，
眼见指望落空，
便又养育一头幼狮，
使它成为雄壮的狮子。
6它出入狮群，
学会了捕食和吃人。
7它夷平列国的堡垒，
使他们的城邑沦为废墟，
遍地都因它的咆哮而震惊。
8于是，列国便从四面围攻它，
设网罗捕捉它。
它落入他们的陷阱。
9他们用钩子钩住它，关进笼里，
解送到巴比伦王那里囚禁起来。
于是，在以色列的山岭上再也听不见他的吼声。
10“‘你母亲像葡萄园中的一棵葡萄树，
栽在溪水旁，
枝繁叶茂，硕果累累，
因为水源充沛。
11它的枝子粗壮，可作王的杖。
它的树干高大，直插云霄，
枝叶茂密，远远可见。
12但它被愤怒地连根拔起，
抛在地上。
东风吹干了它的果实，
粗壮的枝干折断枯干，
被火焚烧。
13现在，它被栽种在干旱的旷野。
14但火从枝干蔓延，
烧毁了它的果实，
没有留下一根粗壮的枝干可作王的杖。’
“这是一首哀歌，也必用作哀歌。”
A Song of Sadness About Israel’s Princes
1“Sing a song of sadness about Israel’s princes. 2Say to Israel,
“ ‘You were like a mother lion to your princes.
She lay down among the lions.
She brought up her cubs.
3One of them was Jehoahaz.
He became a strong lion.
He learned to tear apart what he caught.
And he became a man-eater.
4The nations heard about him.
They trapped him in their pit.
They put hooks in his face.
And they led him away to Egypt.
5“ ‘The mother lion looked and waited.
But all her hope was gone.
So she got another one of her cubs.
She made him into a strong lion.
6He prowled with the lions.
He became very strong.
He learned to tear apart what he caught.
And he became a man-eater.
7He broke down their forts.
He completely destroyed their towns.
The land and all those who were in it
were terrified when he roared.
8Then nations came against him.
They came from all around him.
They spread out their net to catch him.
He was trapped in their pit.
9They used hooks to pull him into a cage.
They brought him to the king of Babylon.
They put him in prison.
So his roar was not heard anymore
on the mountains of Israel.
10“ ‘Israel, you were like a vine in a vineyard.
It was planted near water.
It had a lot of fruit and many branches.
There was plenty of water.
11Its branches were strong.
Each was good enough to be made into a ruler’s scepter.
The vine grew high
above all the leaves.
It stood out because it was so tall
and had so many branches.
12But Nebuchadnezzar became angry.
He pulled it up by its roots.
He threw it to the ground.
The east wind dried it up.
Its fruit was stripped off.
Its strong branches dried up.
And fire destroyed them.
13Now it is planted in the Babylonian desert.
It is in a dry and thirsty land.
14One of its main branches was Zedekiah.
Fire spread from it and burned up its fruit.
None of its branches is good enough
to be made into a ruler’s scepter.’
This is a song of sadness. And that is how it should be used.”
