2. Son of man, propose a riddle, and tell this proverb to the house of Israel:
3. Thus says the Lord God:The great eagle, with wide wingspanand long feathers, with thick plumage,many-hued, came to Lebanon.He plucked the crest of the cedar,
4. broke off its topmost branch,And brought it to a land of merchants,set it in a city of traders.
5. Then he took some native seedand planted it in fertile soil;A shoot beside plentiful waters,like a willow he planted it,
6. That it might sprout and become a vine,dense and low-lying,With its branches turned toward him,its roots beneath it.Thus it became a vine, produced branches,and put forth shoots.
7. Then another great eagle appeared,with wide wingspan, rich in plumage,And see! This vine bent its roots to him,sent out branches for him to water.From the bed where it was planted,
8. it was transplanted to a fertile fieldBy abundant waters, to produce branches,to bear fruit, to become a majestic vine.
9. Say: Thus says the Lord God: Can it thrive?Will he not tear up its rootsand strip its fruit?Then all its green leaves will wither—neither strong arm nor mighty nationis needed to uproot it.
10. True, it is planted; but will it thrive?Will it not wither upWhen the east wind strikes it,wither in the very bed where it sprouted?