1 And the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,
2 Ben adam, put forth an allegory, and speak a mashal unto the Bais Yisroel;
3 And say, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: A nesher hagadol with great kenafayim (wings), long pinions, full of plumage, which had various colors, came unto Levanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar.
4 He broke off its topmost young twig, and carried it into an eretz kena'an (land of trade); he set it in a city of merchants [i.e., Babylon].
5 He took also of the zera of ha'aretz, and planted it in a fertile sadeh; he placed it by abundant mayim, and set it out like a willow tree.
6 And it yitzmach (sprouted), and became a spreading gefen of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him; so it became a gefen (vine), and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.