香柏树的比喻
1第十一年三月一日，耶和华对我说： 2“人子啊，你要对埃及王法老和他的百姓说，
“‘谁能比你强大呢？
3看啊，亚述曾是黎巴嫩的一棵香柏树，
枝繁叶茂，遮天蔽日，
高耸入云。
4它在河流和深泉的滋润下茁壮成长，
溪流四围环绕它，
浇灌着林间的树木。
5充足的水源使它高过田间所有的树木，
枝子长得又粗又长。
6空中的飞鸟都在它的枝头上搭窝，
田间的野兽都在它的树荫下生产，
所有的大国都住在它的荫下。
7它高大美丽，枝干修长，
因为树根深入水源，
8连上帝园中的香柏树也不能与它相比。
松树不能与它的枝干相比，
枫树不能与它的枝条相比，
主耶和华园中的树木没有一棵能与它媲美。
9我使它枝繁叶茂，美丽无比，
以致上帝伊甸园里的树木都羡慕它。’
10“因此，主耶和华说，‘因为它树干高大，树梢高耸入云，心高气傲， 11我要把它交在列国的首领手里，他必按照它的邪恶惩治它。我丢弃了它。 12外族人，就是列邦中最残暴的人要把它砍倒，丢弃在那里，它折断的枝干散落在山间和河谷中。世上各族都离开它的荫下， 13天上的飞禽要栖身在那折断的树干上，地上的走兽要躺卧在它的枝条中。 14故此，水边的树木都不再傲然矗立，高耸入云，水源充足的大树也不再如此高大，因为它们都注定要与下坟墓的人一同死亡，落到阴间的深处。’
15“主耶和华说，‘它下到阴间的那天，我要使哀声响起，使深渊闭塞，江河止息，洪水停滞。我要使黎巴嫩为它哀哭，田野的树木因它而枯萎。 16我将它与下坟墓的人一同抛到阴间时，列国听见它坠落的响声，都恐惧战抖。伊甸园中的树木和黎巴嫩水源充足、上好的树木都在阴间得到安慰。 17在它荫庇下做它爪牙的盟友都与它一同落到阴间，到被杀的人那里。
18“‘伊甸园的树木中，谁能与你的威荣相比呢？然而你却要与伊甸园的树木一同下到阴间，躺卧在未受割礼的人当中，与被杀的人在一起。
“‘这就是法老和他百姓的结局。这是主耶和华说的。’”
1And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?
3¶ Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.31.3 with fair branches: Heb. fair of branches 4The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.31.4 made…: or, nourished him31.4 set…: or, brought him up31.4 little rivers: or, conduits 5Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.31.5 when…: or, when it sent them forth 6All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. 7Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters. 8The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. 9I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.
10¶ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; 11I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.31.11 he…: Heb. in doing he shall do unto him 12And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him. 13Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches: 14To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.31.14 their trees…: or, stand upon themselves for their height 15Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.31.15 to mourn: Heb. to be black 16I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth. 17They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.
18¶ To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.
