耶和華的話臨到我說：
The word of the LORD came to me:
耶和華的話臨到我說：
The word of the LORD came to me:
「人子啊，你要向
“Son of man, propound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;
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
say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, rich in plumage of many colors, came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.
就是折去香柏樹儘尖的嫩枝，叼到貿易之地，放在買賣城中；
He broke off the topmost of its young twigs and carried it to a land of trade and set it in a city of merchants.
又將
Then he took of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside abundant waters. He set it like a willow twig,
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。
and it sprouted and became a low spreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs.
「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，好得它的澆灌。
“And there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage, and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and shot forth its branches toward him from the bed where it was planted, that he might water it.
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。
It had been planted on good soil by abundant waters, that it might produce branches and bear fruit and become a noble vine.
你要說，主耶和華如此說：這葡萄樹豈能發旺呢？鷹豈不拔出它的根來，芟除它的果子，使它枯乾，使它發的嫩葉都枯乾了嗎？也不用大力和多民，就拔出它的根來。
“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 fresh sprouting leaves wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it from its roots.
葡萄樹雖然栽種，豈能發旺呢？一經東風，豈不全然枯乾嗎？必在生長的畦中枯乾了。」
Behold, it is planted; will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind strikes it — wither away on the bed where it sprouted?”
耶和華的話臨到我說：
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
「你對那悖逆之家說：你們不知道這些事是甚麼意思嗎？你要告訴他們說，
“Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them, behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes and brought them to him to Babylon.
從
And he took one of the royal offspring and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath (the chief men of the land he had taken away),
使國低微不能自強，惟因守盟約得以存立。
that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up, and keep his covenant that it might stand.
他卻背叛
But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?
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、
“As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die.
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。
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when mounds are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives.
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。」
He despised the oath in breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and did all these things; he shall not escape.
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。
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely it is my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. I will return it upon his head.
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
I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there for the treachery he has committed against me.
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」原文作「風」〕。你們就知道說這話的是我──耶和華。」
And all the pick of his troops shall fall by the sword, and the survivors shall be scattered to every wind, and you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken.”
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；
Thus says the Lord GOD: “I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
在
On the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bear branches and produce fruit and become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest.
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。」
And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.”