Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 And it came to pass, in the eleventh year, the third month the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
1
On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year, the LORD spoke his word to me. He said,
2 Son of man, speak to Pharao king of Egypt, and to his people: To whom art thou like in thy greatness?
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"Son of man, say to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his many people, 'Was there ever anyone as great as you?
3 Behold, the Assyrian like a cedar in Libanus, with fair branches, and full of leaves, of a high stature, and his top was elevated among the thick boughs.
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What about Assyria? It was a cedar in Lebanon with fine branches that shaded the forest. It was very tall. Its top was among the clouds.
4 The waters nourished him, the deep set him tip on high, the streams thereof ran round about his roots, and it sent, forth its rivulets to all the trees of the country.
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Water made the tree grow, and underground springs made it tall. Rivers flowed around the place where the tree was planted. Streams ran beside all the other trees around it.
5 Therefore was his height exalted above all the trees of the country and his branches were multiplied, and his boughs were elevated because of many waters.
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That is why it grew taller than all the other trees in the field. Its branches became large and long because of so much water.
6 And when he had spread forth his shadow, all the fowls of the air made their nests in his boughs, and all the beasts of the forest brought forth their young under his branches, and the assembly of many nations dwelt under his shadow.
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All the birds made their nests in its branches. All the wild animals gave birth to their young under it. All the powerful nations lived in its shade.
7 And he was most beautiful for his greatness, and for the spreading of his branches: for his root was near great waters.
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So the tree was big and beautiful with its long branches. Its roots reached down to many sources of water.
8 The cedars in the paradise of God were not higher than he, the fir trees did not equal his top, neither were the plane trees to be compared with him for branches: no tree in the paradise of God was like him in his beauty.
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The cedar trees in God's garden couldn't compare to it. The pine trees couldn't equal its branches. The plane trees couldn't measure up to its branches. All the trees in God's garden couldn't match its beauty.
9 For I made him beautiful and thick set with many branches: and all the trees of pleasure, that were in the paradise of God, envied him.
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I was the one who made it beautiful with its many branches. This tree was the envy of all the trees in Eden, in God's garden.
10 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because he was exalted in height, and shot up his top green and thick, and his heart was lifted up in his height:
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"'This is what the Almighty LORD says: The tree grew very tall, and its top reached the clouds. It became arrogant because it was so tall.
11 I have delivered him into the hands of the mighty one of the nations, he shall deal with him: I have cast him out according to his wickedness.
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So I handed it over to a mighty ruler among the nations, and he surely dealt with it. I forced it out because of its wickedness.
12 And strangers, and the most cruel of the nations shall cut him down, and cast him away upon the mountains, and his boughs shall fall in every valley, and his branches shall be broken on every rock of the country: and all the people of the earth shall depart from his shadow, and leave him.
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Foreigners from the most ruthless nation cut it down and threw it away. Its branches fell on the mountains and in every valley. Its broken branches fell in every ravine in the land. All the nations in the world came out from under its shade and left.
13 All the fowls of the air dwelt upon his ruins, and all the beasts of the field were among his branches.
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All the birds perched on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived in its branches.
14 For which cause none of the trees by the waters shall exalt themselves for their height: nor shoot up their tops among the thick branches and leaves, neither shall any of them that are watered stand up in their height: for they are all delivered unto death to the lowest parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down into the pit.
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Then all the other trees growing by the water were kept from becoming arrogant because of their height, and their tops were no longer allowed to reach the clouds. So no tree, even if it is well-watered, will ever stand that tall. Every tree is going to die and go below the earth to join those who have died and gone down to the pit.
15 Thus saith the Lord God: In the day when he went down to hell, I brought in mourning, I covered him with the deep: and I withheld its rivers, and restrained the many waters: Libanus grieved for him, and all the trees of the field trembled.
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"'This is what the Almighty LORD says: When the tree went down to the grave, I made people mourn. I covered the underground springs and held back the rivers. The many water sources stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for the tree, and all the trees in the field fainted as they grieved over it.
16 I shook the nations with the sound of his fall, when I brought him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of pleasure, the choice and best in Libanus, all that were moistened with waters, were comforted in the lowest parts of the earth.
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I made the nations tremble in fear at the sound of the tree's crash. I brought the tree down to the grave to join those who had gone down to the pit. Then all the trees in Eden, the choicest and best trees of Lebanon, and all the trees that were well-watered were comforted below the earth.
17 For they also shall go down with him to hell to them that are slain by the sword; and the arm of every one shall sit down under his shadow in the midst of the nations.
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They had gone down with the tree in the grave to join others killed in battle. All who lived in its shadow were scattered among the nations.
18 To whom art thou like, O thou that art famous and lofty among the trees of pleasure? Behold, thou art brought down with the trees of pleasure to the lowest parts of the earth: thou shalt sleep in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain by the sword: this is Pharao, and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.
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"'This tree is you, Pharaoh, and all your many people. No tree in Eden has ever been as honorable and as great as you. But you will be brought down below the earth with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the godless people who were killed in battle, declares the Almighty LORD.'"