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.”
Maombolezo Kwa Ajili Ya Wakuu Wa Israeli
119:1 Yer 7:29; 2Nya 24:6; Eze 26:17; Yer 9:10, 20; Eze 27:32; 28:12“Wewe fanya maombolezo kuhusu wakuu wa Israeli 219:2 Hes 23:24; Mwa 49:9na useme:
“ ‘Tazama jinsi gani mama yako alivyokuwa simba jike
miongoni mwa simba!
Alilala katikati ya wana simba
na kulisha watoto wake.
319:3 Eze 19:6; 2Fal 23:31, 32Alimlea mmoja wa watoto wake,
naye akawa simba mwenye nguvu.
Akajifunza kurarua mawindo
naye akala watu.
419:4 2Nya 36:4; Mao 4:20; Ay 41:2; 2Fal 23:33-34Mataifa wakasikia habari zake,
naye akanaswa katika shimo lao.
Wakamwongoza kwa ndoana
mpaka nchi ya Misri.
519:5 2Fal 23:34; Mwa 49:9“ ‘Mama yake alipongoja na kuona tumaini lake halitimiziki,
nayo matarajio yake yametoweka,
akamchukua mwanawe mwingine
na kumfanya simba mwenye nguvu.
619:6 Yer 22:13; 2Nya 36:9; 2Fal 24:9Alizungukazunguka miongoni mwa simba,
kwa kuwa sasa alikuwa simba mwenye nguvu.
Akajifunza kurarua mawindo
naye akala watu.
719:7 Eze 29:10; 30:12Akabomoa ngome zao
na kuiharibu miji yao.
Nchi na wote waliokuwa ndani yake
wakatiwa hofu kwa kunguruma kwake.
819:8 2Fal 24:2, 11; Mao 4:20; Eze 12:13; 2Fal 24:11Kisha mataifa wakaja dhidi yake
kutoka sehemu zilizomzunguka.
Wakatanda nyavu zao kwa ajili yake,
naye akanaswa katika shimo lao.
919:9 2Fal 25:7; 24:15; 2Nya 36:6; 2Fal 19:28; Zek 11:3Kwa kutumia ndoana wakamvutia kwenye tundu
na kumleta mpaka kwa mfalme wa Babeli.
Wakamtia gerezani, hivyo kunguruma kwake
hakukusikika tena
katika milima ya Israeli.
1019:10 Za 80:8-11; Eze 15:2; Yer 17:8; Mwa 49:22“ ‘Mama yako alikuwa kama mzabibu
katika shamba lako la mizabibu
uliopandwa kando ya maji,
ukiwa unazaa sana na wenye matawi mengi
kwa sababu ya wingi wa maji.
1119:11 Eze 31:3; Dan 4:11Matawi yake yalikuwa na nguvu,
yaliyofaa kuwa fimbo ya enzi ya mtawala.
Ulikuwa mrefu kupita miti mingine
katikati ya matawi manene;
ulionekana kwa urahisi
kwa ajili ya urefu wake
na wingi wa matawi yake.
1219:12 Kum 29:28; Eze 17:10; Hos 13:15; Isa 27:11; Eze 28:17; Mwa 41:6Lakini ulingʼolewa kwa hasira kali
na kutupwa chini.
Upepo wa mashariki uliufanya usinyae,
matunda yake yakapukutika,
matawi yake yenye nguvu yakanyauka
na moto ukayateketeza.
1319:13 Eze 20:35; Hos 2:14; 2:3Sasa umepandwa jangwani
katika nchi kame na ya kiu.
1419:14 Amu 9:15; Eze 20:47; 15:4Moto ulienea kuanzia katika mmojawapo ya matawi yake makubwa
na kuteketeza matunda yake.
Hakuna tawi lenye nguvu lililobaki juu yake
lifaalo kuwa fimbo ya enzi ya mtawala.’
Hili ndilo ombolezo, na litumike kama ombolezo.”