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.
7. There was also another nesher hagadol with great kenafayim (wings) and many feathers; and, hinei, this gefen (vine) did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows where it had been planted.
8. It was planted in a sadeh tov by mayim rabbim, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear p'ri, that it might be a majestic gefen.
9. Say thou, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Shall it thrive? Shall he not pull up the shorashim (roots) thereof, and cut off the p'ri (fruit) thereof, that it wither? All of its tzemach (sprouted) leaves shall wither, even without great power or many peoples to pluck it up by the shorashim (roots) thereof.