A Lament for Israel’s Princes

1“As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel,a 2and say:

What was your mother? A lioness!

She lay down among the lions;

she reared her cubs among the young lions.

3She brought up one of her cubs,

and he became a young lion.a

After he learned to tear prey,

he devoured people.

4When the nations heard about him,

he was caught in their pit.

Then they led him away with hooks

to the land of Egypt.a

5When she saw that she 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,a

and he became a young lion.

After he learned to tear prey,

he devoured people.

7He devastated their strongholdsA

and destroyed their cities.

The land and everything in it shuddered

at the sound of his roaring.

8Then the nations from the surrounding provinces

set out against him.a

They spread their net over him;

he was caught in their pit.

9They put a wooden yoke on himA with hooksa

and led him away to the king of Babylon.

They brought him into the fortresses

so his roar could no longer be heard

on the mountains of Israel.b

10Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard,a a

planted by the water;

it was fruitful and full of branchesb

because of abundant water.

11It had strong branches, fit for the scepters of rulers;

its height towered among the clouds.A

So it was conspicuous for its height

as well as its many branches.

12But it was uprooted in fury,a

thrown to the ground,

and the east wind dried up its fruit.

Its strong branches were torn off and dried up;b

fire consumed them.

13Now it is planted in the wilderness,a

in a dry and thirsty land.

14Fire has gone out from its main branchA

and has devoured its fruit,

so that it no longer has a strong branch,

a scepter for ruling.a

This is a lament and should be used as a lament.”