¶ The word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
Thou son of man: put forth a dark speaking and a parable, unto the house of Israel;
And say: Thus sayeth the Lord GOD: There came a great Aegle with great wings, yea with mighty long wings, full of feathers, of divers colours, upon the mount of Libanus, and took a branch from a Cedar tree,
and brake off the top of his twig, and carried it into the land of Canaan, and set it in a city of merchants.
He took also a branch of the land, and planted it in a fruitful ground, he brought it unto great waters, and set it as a willow tree thereby.
Then did it grow, and was a great vine stock, but low by the ground: thus there came of it a vine, and it brought forth blossoms, and spread out branches.
But there was another Aegle, a great one, which had great wings and many feathers: and behold, the roots of this vine had an hunger after him, and spread out his branches toward him, to water his fruits:
Nevertheless it was planted upon a good ground beside great waters: so that (by reason) it should have brought out branches and fruit, and have been a goodly vine.
Speak thou therefore, thus sayeth the Lord GOD: Shall this vine prosper? Shall not his roots be plucked out, his fruit be broken off, his green branches wither and fade away? Yea without either strong armies or many people, shall it be plucked up by the roots.
Behold, it was planted: shall it prosper therefore. Shall it not be dried up and withered, yea even in the shooting out of his blossoms, as soon as the east wind bloweth?
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me saying:
Speak to that froward household: Know ye not, what these things do signify? Tell them: Behold, the king of Babylon came to Ierusalem, and took the king and his princes, and led them to Babylon.
He took of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and took an oath of him: The princes of the land toke he with him also,
that the land might be held in subjection, and not rebel, but keep the covenant, and fulfill it.
But he fell from him, and sent his Embassadors into Egypt that he might have horses and much people. Should that prosper? Should he be kept safe, that doth such things? Or should he escape, that breaketh his covenant?
As truly as I live, sayeth the Lord GOD: He shall die at Babylon, in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king: whose oath he hath despised, and whose covenant he hath broken.
Neither shall Pharaoh with his great host and multitude of people, maintain him in the war: when they cast up ditches, and set up bulwarks to destroy much people.
For seeing he hath despised the oath, and broken the covenant, (where as he yet gave his hand thereupon) and done all these things, he shall not escape.
Therefore thus sayeth the Lord GOD: As truly as I live, I will bring mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, upon his own head.
I will cast my net about him, and catch him in my yarn. To Babylon will I carry him, there will I punish him, because of the great offense that he made me.
As for those that flee from him out of the host, they shall be slain with the sword. The residue shall be scattered toward all the winds: and ye shall know, that I the LORD have spoken it.
¶ Thus sayeth the Lord GOD: I will also take a branch from an high Cedar tree, and will set it, and take the uppermost twig, that yet is but tender, and plant it upon an high hill:
Namely, upon the high hill of Sion will I plant it: that it may bring forth twigs, and give fruit, and be a great Cedar tree: so that all manner of fowls may bide in it, and make their nests under the shadow of his branches.
And all the trees of the field shall know, that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, and set the low tree up: that I have dried up the green tree, and made the dry tree to flourish: Even I the LORD that spake it, have also brought it to pass.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.