1. Open thy delatot (gates), O Levanon, that the eish (fire) may devour thy cedars.
2. Wail, O cypress, for the cedar is fallen; the mighty is despoiled; wail, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the dense forest is toppled.
3. Hear the sound of the wailing of the ro'im (shepherds); for their glory is destroyed; the sound of the roaring of young lions; for the ga'on of the Yarden (Jordan) is laid waste.
4. Thus Hashem Elohai said: Shepherd the tzon haharegah (the flock marked for slaughter);
5. Whose buyers slaughter them, and hold themselves not guilty; and they that sell them say, Baruch Hashem, I have become rich! And their own ro'im (shepherds) spare them not.
6. Nor will I any more pity the yoshvei ha'aretz (the inhabitants of the land), saith Hashem; and hinei, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbor's hand, and into the power of his melech; and they shall strike ha'aretz, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.
7. So I did shepherd the tzon haharegah (the flock marked for slaughter), even aniyei hatzon (the poor of the flock). And I took unto me two maklot (staffs); the one I called No'am (gracious care), and the other I called Chovelim (bindings [of union, cf.11:14]); and I did shepherd the tzon (flock).