[1] The LORD said: Ezekiel, sing a funeral song for two of Israel's leaders: [2] Your mother was a brave lioness who raised her cubs among lions. [3] She taught one of them to hunt, and he learned to eat people. [4] When the nations heard of him, they trapped him in a pit, then they used hooks to drag him to Egypt. [5] His mother waited for him to return. But soon she lost all hope and raised another cub, who also became fierce. [6] He hunted with other lions and learned to eat people. [7] He destroyed fortresses and ruined towns; his mighty roar terrified everyone. [8] Nations plotted to kill him, and people came from all over to spread out a net and catch him in a trap. [9] They put him in a cage and took him to Babylonia. The lion was locked away, so that his mighty roar would never again be heard on Israel's hills. [10] Your mother was a vine growing near a stream. There was plenty of water, so she was filled with branches and with lots of fruit. [11] Her strong branches became symbols of authority, and she was taller than all other trees- everyone could see how strong and healthy she was. [12] But in anger, I pulled her up by the roots and threw her to the ground, where the scorching desert wind dried out her fruit. Her strong branches wilted and burned up. [13] Then she was planted in a hot, dry desert, [14] where her stem caught fire, and flames burned her branches and fruit. Not one strong branch is left; she is stripped bare. This funeral song must be sung with sorrow.
