1
And you, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
2
and say: What a lioness was your mother among lions! She couched in the midst of young lions, rearing her whelps.
3
And she brought up one of her whelps; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men.
4
The nations sounded an alarm against him; he was taken in their pit; and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5
When she saw that she was baffled, that her hope was lost, she took another of her whelps and made him a young lion.
6
He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men.
7
And he ravaged their strongholds, and laid waste their cities; and the land was appalled and all who were in it at the sound of his roaring.
8
Then the nations set against him snares on every side; they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.
9
With hooks they put him in a cage, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into custody, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.
10
Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard transplanted by the water, fruitful and full of branches by reason of abundant water.