Ezekiel 19

1And you, raise a lament over the princes of Israel, 2and say: What a lioness your mother was! She lay down among lions; among young lions she reared her cubs. 3She raised one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. He learned to tear prey, and he devoured people. 4The nations heard about him, and he was caught in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt. 5When she saw that she had waited in vain and her hope was gone, she took another of her cubs and made him into a young lion. 6He prowled among the lions and became a young lion. He learned to tear prey, and he devoured people. 7He preyed on their widows and laid waste their cities. The land and everything in it was appalled at the sound of his roaring. 8Then nations from the provinces on every side set themselves against him. They spread their net over him, and he was caught in their pit. 9With hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in a stronghold, so that his roar would no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.

10Your mother was like a vine in your blood, planted beside water. It bore fruit and was full of branches because there was plenty of water. 11Its branches were strong, fit to be rulers’ scepters. It towered high above the thick branches; it stood out for its height and its many branches. 12But it was uprooted in wrath and thrown to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit; its strong branch was broken off and withered, and fire consumed it. 13Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land. 14Fire has gone out from one of its branches and consumed its shoots and fruit. No strong branch is left on it, no scepter for ruling. This is a lament, and it has become a lament.