A Lament Over Israel’s Princes
1“Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel 2and say:
“ ‘What a lioness was your mother
among the lions!
She lay down among them
and reared her cubs.
3She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
4The nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks
to the land of Egypt.
5“ ‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs
and made him a strong lion.
6He prowled among the lions,
for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
7He broke down19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew their strongholds
and devastated their towns.
The land and all who were in it
were terrified by his roaring.
8Then the nations came against him,
those from regions round about.
They spread their net for him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
9With hooks they pulled him into a cage
and brought him to the king of Babylon.
They put him in prison,
so his roar was heard no longer
on the mountains of Israel.
10“ ‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
planted by the water;
it was fruitful and full of branches
because of abundant water.
11Its branches were strong,
fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high
above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
and for its many branches.
12But it was uprooted in fury
and thrown to the ground.
The east wind made it shrivel,
it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
and fire consumed them.
13Now it is planted in the desert,
in a dry and thirsty land.
14Fire spread from one of its main19:14 Or from under its branches
and consumed its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
fit for a ruler’s scepter.’
“This is a lament and is to be used as a lament.”
Lamento por los príncipes de Israel
1»Dedícale este lamento a los príncipes de Israel:
2»“En medio de los leones,
tu madre era toda una leona.
Recostada entre leoncillos,
amamantaba a sus cachorros.
3A uno de ellos lo crio
y este llegó a ser un león fuerte
que aprendió a desgarrar su presa
y a devorar a la gente.
4Las naciones oyeron de él,
lo atraparon en una fosa
y lo llevaron con garfios a la tierra de Egipto.
5»”Cuando la leona madre perdió toda esperanza,
con sus expectativas perdidas,
tomó a otra de sus crías
y la hizo un león fuerte.
6Cuando este león se hizo fuerte,
merodeaba entre los leones.
Aprendió a desgarrar su presa
y a devorar a la gente.
7Demolía palacios19:7 Demolía palacios (lectura probable; véanse LXX y Targum); Conocía viudas (TM).
y asolaba ciudades.
La tierra y sus habitantes
estaban aterrorizados con sus rugidos.
8Las naciones y provincias vecinas
se dispusieron a atacarlo.
Extendieron su red sobre él
y quedó atrapado en la fosa.
9Enjaulado y con garfios
lo llevaron ante el rey de Babilonia.
Lo pusieron en prisión
para que no se oyeran sus rugidos
en los montes de Israel.
10»”Tu madre era como una vid en medio del viñedo,19:10 del viñedo (dos mss. hebreos); de tu sangre (TM).
plantada junto al agua.
Era fructífera y frondosa,
gracias al agua abundante.
11Sus ramas crecieron vigorosas,
¡aptas para ser cetros de reyes!
Tanto creció que se destacaba
por encima del follaje.
Se le reconocía por su altura
y por sus ramas frondosas.
12Pero fue desarraigada con furia
y arrojada por el suelo.
El viento del este la dejó marchita
y fueron arrancados sus frutos.
Secas quedaron sus vigorosas ramas,
y fueron consumidas por el fuego.
13Ahora está plantada en el desierto,
en tierra árida y reseca.
14De una de sus ramas brotó un fuego
y consumió sus frutos.
¡No queda en ella una rama vigorosa,
apta para ser cetro de gobernante!”.
Este es un lamento y debe entonarse como tal».
