And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:

Word came to me from the Lord:

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,

Fili hominis, propone ænigma, et narra parabolam ad domum Israël,

A riddle, son of man, a parable for the men of Israel to interpret!

And say: Thus saith the Lord God: A large eagle with great wings, long-limbed, full of feathers, and of variety, came to Libanus, and took away the marrow of the cedar.

et dices: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Aquila grandis magnarum alarum, longo membrorum ductu, plena plumis et varietate, venit ad Libanum, et tulit medullam cedri.

This shall be thy message from the Lord God: A great eagle there was, strong of wing, long of limb; thick and gay his plumage. And this eagle flew to Lebanon, where he robbed cedar of cedar’s very pith;

He cropped off the top of the twigs thereof: and carried it away into the land of Chanaan, and he set it in a city of merchants.

Summitatem frondium ejus avulsit, et transportavit eam in terram Chanaan: in urbe negotiatorum posuit illam.

tore away its crown of leaves and carried it off to Merchant-land, set it down in Traffic City.

And he took of the seed of the land, and put it in the ground for seed, that it might take a firm root over many waters: he planted it on the surface of the earth.

Et tulit de semine terræ, et posuit illud in terra pro semine, ut firmaret radicem super aquas multas: in superficie posuit illud.

Then back he flew to that same country, chose out both seed and seed-ground there; it was on a level lawn by a brimming stream he planted it.

And it sprung up and grew into a spreading vine of low stature, and the branches thereof looked towards him: and the roots thereof were under him. So it became a vine, and grew into branches, and shot forth sprigs.

Cumque germinasset, crevit in vineam latiorem, humili statura, respicientibus ramis ejus ad eam, et radices ejus sub illa erant: facta est ergo vinea, et fructificavit in palmites, et emisit propagines.

When the plant grew, it proved to be a spreading vine, low of stature, and ever branch curled inwards and root struck downwards, yet vine it was, with sprig that burgeoned, shoot that sprang.

And there was another large eagle, with great wings, and many feathers: and behold this vine, bending as it were her roots towards him, stretched forth her branches to him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.

Et facta est aquila altera grandis, magnis alis, multisque plumis: et ecce vinea ista quasi mittens radices suas ad eam, palmites suos extendit ad illam, ut irrigaret eam de areolis germinis sui.

But now, here is a second eagle comes in sight, another great eagle, strong of wing, thick-plumed; and it seems as if the vine, in the garden where it grows, were stretching out its roots, waving its tendrils, to ask this second eagle for water instead.

It was planted in a good ground upon many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and bear fruit, that it might become a large vine.

In terra bona super aquas multas plantata est, ut faciat frondes, et portet fructum, ut sit in vineam grandem.

What, when it was planted in ground so fair, by waters so abundant, with such promise of leaf and fruit, a vine so destined to greatness!

Say thou: Thus saith the Lord God: Shall it prosper then? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and strip off its fruit, and dry up all the branches it hath shot forth, and make it wither: and this without a strong arm, or many people, to pluck it up by the root?

Dic: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ergone prosperabitur? nonne radices ejus evellet, et fructus ejus distringet, et siccabit omnes palmites germinis ejus, et arescet, et non in brachio grandi, neque in populo multo, ut evelleret eam radicitus?

Will any good come of this? asks the Lord God. Nay, roots shall be plucked up, fruit ravaged, branches left to wither; fade it must, nor is it like to need great strength or many hands for its unearthing.

Behold, it is planted: shall it prosper then? shall it not be dried up when the burning wind shall touch it, and shall it not wither in the furrows where it grew?

Ecce plantata est: ergone prosperabitur? nonne, cum tetigerit eam ventus urens, siccabitur, et in areis germinis sui arescet?

Take root is not thrive; rich soil or none, when the sirocco parches it, the vine must wither.

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:

Then the Lord’s word came to me,

Say to the provoking house: Know you not what these things mean? Tell them: Behold the king of Babylon cometh to Jerusalem: and he shall take away the king and the princes thereof, and carry them with him to Babylon.

Dic ad domum exasperantem: Nescitis quid ista significent? Dic: Ecce venit rex Babylonis in Jerusalem, et assumet regem et principes ejus, et adducet eos ad semetipsum in Babylonem.

bidding me ask the rebel brood, Were they at a loss for the meaning of it? This tells how Nabuchodonosor came to Jerusalem, carried off the king and princes and took them away to Babylon;

And he shall take one of the king’s seed, and make a covenant with him, and take an oath of him. Yea, and he shall take away the mighty men of the land,

Et tollet de semine regni, ferietque cum eo fœdus, et ab eo accipiet jusjurandum. Sed et fortes terræ tollet,

yet spared a prince of the blood royal, making a treaty with him and exacting an oath of allegiance. All the flower of the citizens he carried away;

That it may be a low kingdom and not lift itself up, but keep his covenant, and observe it.

ut sit regnum humile, et non elevetur, sed custodiat pactum ejus, et servet illud.

the kingdom should be submissive henceforward, and rebel no more, should keep troth with him loyally.

But he hath revolted from him and sent ambassadors to Egypt, that it might give him horses, and much people. And shall he that hath done thus prosper, or be saved? and shall he escape that hath broken the covenant?

Qui recedens ab eo misit nuntios ad Ægyptum, ut daret sibi equos et populum multum: numquid prosperabitur, vel consequetur salutem, qui fecit hæc? et qui dissolvit pactum, numquid effugiet?

Straightway the new king revolted from Nabuchodonosor, and sent envoys to Egypt, asking for horses, asking for the despatch of a great army in his support. Speeds he, finds he deliverance? Should broken faith avail him?

As I live, saith the Lord God: In the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he hath made void, and whose covenant he broke, even in the midst of Babylon shall he die.

Vivo ego, dicit Dominus Deus, quoniam in loco regis qui constituit eum regem, cujus fecit irritum juramentum, et solvit pactum quod habebat cum eo, in medio Babylonis morietur.

As I am a living God, the Lord says, Babylon that made a king of him, Babylon that trusted in his false oath of allegiance, shall be the place of his death.

And not with a great army, nor with much people shall Pharao fight against him: when he shall cast up mounts, and build forts, to cut off many souls.

Et non in exercitu grandi, neque in populo multo, faciet contra eum Pharao prælium: in jactu aggeris, et in exstructione vallorum, ut interficiat animas multas.

Nor think that his enemy will need great strength, a great muster of men, to overcome him, mound here, trench there, and the loss of many lives;

For he had despised the oath, breaking his covenant, and behold he hath given his hand: and having done all these things, he shall not escape.

Spreverat enim juramentum, ut solveret fœdus, et ecce dedit manum suam: et cum omnia hæc fecerit, non effugiet.

for the man that did so ill, held his faith a light thing and broke the bond he had set his hand to, there is no escape.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: As I live, I will lay upon his head the oath he hath despised, and the covenant he hath broken.

Propterea hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Vivo ego, quoniam juramentum quod sprevit, et fœdus quod prævaricatus est, ponam in caput ejus.

This doom the Lord pronounces: As I am a living God, false troth and broken treaty shall be the undoing of him!

And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my net: and I will bring him into Babylon, and will judge him there for the transgression by which he hath despised me.

Et expandam super eum rete meum, et comprehendetur in sagena mea: et adducam eum in Babylonem, et judicabo eum ibi in prævaricatione qua despexit me.

My net is spread; I have him in the noose; Babylon for him! There I will call him to account for the dishonour he has done to my name by his treachery;

And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword: and the residue shall be scattered into every wind: and you shall know that I the Lord have spoken.

Et omnes profugi ejus, cum universo agmine suo, gladio cadent: residui autem in omnem ventum dispergentur: et scietis quia ego Dominus locutus sum.

and all that escape with him, nay, his whole army, must fall by the sword, or survive scattered to the four winds; you shall learn what manner of God you worship.

Thus saith the Lord God: I myself will take of the marrow of the high cedar, and will set it: I will crop off a tender twig from the top of the branches thereof, and I will plant it on a mountain high and eminent.

Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Et sumam ego de medulla cedri sublimis, et ponam: de vertice ramorum ejus tenerum distringam, et plantabo super montem excelsum et eminentem.

And here is a message from the Lord God: Pith of the tall cedar I will take and set it firm, young branch from its crest of branches I will snap off, and plant it on a mountain that stands high above the rest.

On the high mountains of Israel will I plant it, and it shall shoot forth into branches, and shall bear fruit, and it shall become a great cedar: and all birds shall dwell under it, and every fowl shall make its nest under the shadow of the branches thereof.

In monte sublimi Israël plantabo illud, et erumpet in germen, et faciet fructum, et erit in cedrum magnam: et habitabunt sub ea omnes volucres, et universum volatile sub umbra frondium ejus nidificabit:

High in the hill-country of Israel I will plant it, and there it shall grow into a great cedar-tree; no bird on the wing but shall find rest under its shade, nestle among its branches;

And all the trees of the country shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, and exalted the low tree: and have dried up the green tree, and have caused the dry tree to flourish. I the Lord have spoken and have done it.

et scient omnia ligna regionis quia ego Dominus humiliavi lignum sublime, et exaltavi lignum humile; et siccavi lignum viride, et frondere feci lignum aridum. Ego Dominus locutus sum, et feci.

till all the forest learns its lesson, that I, the Lord, bring high tree low, raise low tree high, wither the burgeoning trunk, give life to the barren. What the Lord promises, the Lord fulfils.