Ezekiel 19

1“As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel,

2and say, ‘What a lioness your mother was among the lions! She lay down among the young lions and reared her cubs.

3She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.

4The nations heard about him; he was caught in their pit, and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

5When she saw that she had waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

6He prowled among the lions and became a young lion. He learned to tear prey; he devoured people.

7He knew their widows and laid waste their cities. The land and everything in it was terrified by the sound of his roaring.

8Then the nations from the provinces all around came against him. They spread their net over him; 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 prison, so that his voice would no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.

10Your mother was like a vine of your own blood, planted by the water. It was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water.

11Its branches were strong, fit for the scepters of rulers. It grew tall, towering among the thick branches, and it stood out for its height and its many branches.

12But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were torn off and withered; fire consumed them.

13Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.

14Fire has spread from its main branch and consumed its fruit, so that no strong branch is left on it, no scepter to rule.’” This is a lament, and it has become a lament.