| Good News Translation (GNT) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 The Lord told me to sing this song of sorrow for two princes of Israel:
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1 "Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel
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2 What a lioness your mother was! She raised her cubs among the fierce male lions.
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2 and say: " 'What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay down among the young lions and reared her cubs.
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3 She raised a cub and taught him to hunt; he learned to eat people.
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3 She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he devoured men.
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4 The nations heard about him and trapped him in a pit. With hooks they dragged him off to Egypt.
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4 The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
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5 She waited until she saw all hope was gone. Then she raised another of her cubs, and he grew into a fierce lion.
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5 " 'When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion.
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6 When he was full-grown, he prowled with the other lions. He too learned to hunt and eat people.
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6 He prowled among the lions, for he was now a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he devoured men.
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7 He wrecked forts, he ruined towns. The people of the land were terrified every time he roared.
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7 He broke down their strongholds and devastated their towns. The land and all who were in it were terrified by his roaring.
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8 The nations gathered to fight him; people came from everywhere. They spread their hunting nets and caught him in their trap.
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8 Then the nations came against him, those from regions round about. They spread their net for him, and he was trapped in their pit.
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9 They put him in a cage and took him to the king of Babylonia. They kept him under guard, so that his roar would never be heard again on the hills of Israel.
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9 With hooks they pulled him into a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison, so his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.
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10 Your mother was like a grapevine planted near a stream. Because there was plenty of water, the vine was covered with leaves and fruit.
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10 " 'Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water.
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11 Its branches were strong and grew to be royal scepters. The vine grew tall enough to reach the clouds; everyone saw how leafy and tall it was.
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11 Its branches were strong, fit for a ruler's scepter. It towered high above the thick foliage, conspicuous for its height and for its many branches.
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12 But angry hands pulled it up by the roots and threw it to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit. Its branches were broken off; they dried up and were burned.
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12 But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them.
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13 Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and waterless land.
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13 Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land.
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14 The stem of the vine caught fire; fire burned up its branches and fruit. The branches will never again be strong, will never be royal scepters. This is a song of sorrow; it has been sung again and again.
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14 Fire spread from one of its main branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler's scepter.' This is a lament and is to be used as a lament."
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| Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission. (The Good News Translation - The Holy Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
