1Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,
1耶和華的話臨到我說：
2'Son of man, propound a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel,
2人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，
3saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, 'A great eagle with great wings, long pinions and a full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
3說主耶和華如此說：有一大鷹，翅膀大，翎毛長，羽毛豐滿，彩色俱備，來到利巴嫩，將香柏樹梢擰去，
4'He plucked off the topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a city of traders.
4就是折去香柏樹儘尖的嫩枝，叼到貿易之地，放在買賣城中；
5'He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed [it] beside abundant waters; he set it [like] a willow.
5又將以色列地的枝子栽於肥田裡，插在大水旁，如插柳樹，
6'Then it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine with its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and yielded shoots and sent out branches.
6就漸漸生長，成為蔓延矮小的葡萄樹。其枝轉向那鷹，其根在鷹以下，於是成了葡萄樹，生出枝子，發出小枝。
7'But there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him from the beds where it was planted, that he might water it.
7又有一大鷹，翅膀大，羽毛多。這葡萄樹從栽種的畦中向這鷹彎過根來，發出枝子，好得他的澆灌。
8'It was planted in good soil beside abundant waters, that it might yield branches and bear fruit [and] become a splendid vine.''
8這樹栽於肥田多水的旁邊，好生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的葡萄樹。
9'Say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers-- so that all its sprouting leaves wither? And neither by great strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots [again].
9你要說，主耶和華如此說：這葡萄樹豈能發旺呢？鷹豈不拔出他的根來，芟除他的果子，使他枯乾，使他發的嫩葉都枯乾了麼？也不用大力和多民，就拔出他的根來。
10'Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it-- wither on the beds where it grew?'''
10葡萄樹雖然栽種，豈能發旺呢？一經東風，豈不全然枯乾麼？必在生長的畦中枯乾了。
11Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
11耶和華的話臨到我說：
12'Say now to the rebellious house, 'Do you not know what these things [mean]?' Say, 'Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon.
12你對那悖逆之家說：你們不知道這些事是甚麼意思麼？你要告訴他們說，巴比倫王曾到耶路撒冷，將其中的君王和首領帶到巴比倫自己那裡去。
13'He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,
13從以色列的宗室中取一人與他立約，使他發誓，並將國中有勢力的人擄去，
14that the kingdom might be in subjection, not exalting itself, [but] keeping his covenant that it might continue.
14使國低微不能自強，惟因守盟約得以存立。
15'But he rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape?
15他卻背叛巴比倫王，打發使者往埃及去，要他們給他馬匹和多民。他豈能亨通呢？行這樣事的人豈能逃脫呢？他背約豈能逃脫呢？
16'As I live,' declares the Lord GOD, 'Surely in the country of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, in Babylon he shall die.
16他輕看向王所起的誓，背棄王與他所立的約。主耶和華說：我指著我的永生起誓，他定要死在立他作王、巴比倫王的京都。
17'Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they cast up ramps and build siege walls to cut off many lives.
17敵人築壘造臺，與他打仗的時候，為要剪除多人，法老雖領大軍隊和大群眾，還是不能幫助他。
18'Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.''
18他輕看誓言，背棄盟約，已經投降，卻又做這一切的事，他必不能逃脫。
19Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, 'As I live, surely My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will inflict on his head.
19所以主耶和華如此說：我指著我的永生起誓，他既輕看指我所起的誓，背棄指我所立的約，我必要使這罪歸在他頭上。
20'I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. Then I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there [regarding] the unfaithful act which he has committed against Me.
20我必將我的網撒在他身上，他必在我的網羅中纏住。我必帶他到巴比倫，並要在那裡因他干犯我的罪刑罰他。
21'All the choice men in all his troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind; and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.'
21他的一切軍隊，凡逃跑的，都必倒在刀下；所剩下的，也必分散四方（方：原文是風）。你們就知道說這話的是我─耶和華。
22Thus says the Lord GOD, 'I will also take [a sprig] from the lofty top of the cedar and set [it] out; I will pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant [it] on a high and lofty mountain.
22主耶和華如此說：我要將香柏樹梢擰去栽上，就是從儘尖的嫩枝中折一嫩枝，栽於極高的山上；
23'On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches.
23在以色列高處的山栽上。他就生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的香柏樹，各類飛鳥都必宿在其下，就是宿在枝子的蔭下。
24'All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform [it].'
24田野的樹木都必知道我─耶和華使高樹矮小，矮樹高大；青樹枯乾，枯樹發旺。我─耶和華如此說，也如此行了。