1 Ezekiel, sing a funeral song for two of Israel's leaders:
2 Your mother was a brave lionesswho raised her cubsamong lions.
3 She taught one of them to hunt,and he learned to eat people.
4 When the nations heard of him,they trapped him in a pit,then they used hooksto drag him to Egypt.
5 His mother waitedfor him to return.But soon she lost all hopeand raised another cub,who also became fierce.
6 He hunted with other lionsand learned to eat people.
7 He destroyed fortressesand ruined towns;his mighty roarterrified everyone.
8 Nations plotted to kill him,and people came from all overto spread out a netand catch him in a trap.
9 They put him in a cageand took him to Babylonia.The lion was locked away,so that his mighty roarwould never again be heardon Israel's hills.
10 Your mother was a vine like you,growing near a stream.There was plenty of water,so she was filled with branchesand with lots of fruit.
11 Her strong branchesbecame symbols of authority,and she was tallerthan all other trees—everyone could see how strongand healthy she was.
12 But in anger, I pulled her upby the rootsand threw her to the ground,where the scorching desert winddried out her fruit.Her strong branches wiltedand burned up.
13 Then she was plantedin a hot, dry desert,
14 where her stem caught fire,and flames burnedher branches and fruit.Not one strong branch is left;she is stripped bare.This funeral song must be sung with sorrow.