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母狮养大一头幼狮，
使它成为一头猛狮。
它学会了捕猎和吃人。
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，
使它成为一头猛狮。
6它出入狮群，
长成一头猛狮，
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，把它关进笼里，
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它的吼声。
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，可作哀悼之用。”
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.”
