A Lament for the Princes of Israel

1 וְאַתָּה֙ (And you) שָׂ֣א (take up) קִינָ֔ה (a lamentation) אֶל־ (for) נְשִׂיאֵ֖י (the princes) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel),

2 וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ (and say), מָ֤ה (What was) אִמְּךָ֙ (your mother)? לְבִיָּ֔א (A lioness); בֵּ֥ין (among) אֲרָי֖וֹת (the lions), רָבָ֑צָה (she stretched out) בְּת֥וֹךְ (in the midst) כְּפִרִ֖ים (of young lions) רִבְּתָ֥ה (she reared) גוּרֶֽיהָ׃ (her cubs).

3 וַתַּ֛עַל (And she brought up) אֶחָ֥ד (one) מִגֻּרֶ֖יהָ (of her cubs), כְּפִ֣יר (a young lion), הָיָ֑ה (he became) וַיִּלְמַ֥ד (and he learned) לִטְרָף־ (to tear) טֶ֖רֶף (prey); אָדָ֥ם (men) אָכָֽל׃ (he devoured).

4 וַיִּשְׁמְע֥וּ (And heard) אֵלָ֛יו (of him) גּוֹיִ֖ם (the nations) בְּשַׁחְתָּ֣ם (in their pit), נִתְפָּ֑שׂ (he was caught) וַיְבִאֻ֥הוּ (and they brought him) בַֽחַחִ֖ים (with the hooks) אֶל־ (to) אֶ֥רֶץ (the land) מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (of Egypt).

5 וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ (And she saw) כִּ֣י (that) נֽוֹחֲלָ֔ה (she had waited), אָבְדָ֖ה (that was lost), תִּקְוָתָ֑הּ (her hope) וַתִּקַּ֛ח (and she took) אֶחָ֥ד (one) מִגֻּרֶ֖יהָ (of her cubs), כְּפִ֥יר (and as a young lion) שָׂמָֽתְהוּ׃ (set him).

6 וַיִּתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ (And he went about) בְּתוֹךְ־ (in the midst) אֲרָי֖וֹת (of the lions), כְּפִ֣יר (a young lion), הָיָ֑ה (he became) וַיִּלְמַ֥ד (and he learned) לִטְרָף־ (to catch) טֶ֖רֶף (prey), אָדָ֥ם (men) אָכָֽל׃ (he devoured).

7 וַיֵּ֙דַע֙ (And he knew) אַלְמְנוֹתָ֔יו (their strongholds) וְעָרֵיהֶ֖ם (and their cities); הֶחֱרִ֑יב (he laid waste) וַתֵּ֤שַׁם (and was devastated), אֶ֙רֶץ֙ (the land) וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ (and all its fullness) מִקּ֖וֹל (by the voice) שַׁאֲגָתֽוֹ׃ (of his roaring).

8 וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ (And gave forth) עָלָ֥יו (against him) גּוֹיִ֛ם (the nations) סָבִ֖יב (all around) מִמְּדִינ֑וֹת (from the provinces), וַֽיִּפְרְשׂ֥וּ (and they spread) עָלָ֛יו (over him) רִשְׁתָּ֖ם (their net) בְּשַׁחְתָּ֥ם (in their pit) נִתְפָּֽשׂ׃ (he was caught).

9 וַֽיִּתְּנֻ֤הוּ (And they put him) בַסּוּגַר֙ (in the cage) בַּֽחַחִ֔ים (with the hooks), וַיְבִאֻ֖הוּ (and they brought him) אֶל־ (to) מֶ֣לֶךְ (the king) בָּבֶ֑ל (of Babylon); יְבִאֻ֙הוּ֙ (they brought him) בַּמְּצֹד֔וֹת (in the nets) לְמַ֗עַן (so that) לֹא־ (not) יִשָּׁמַ֥ע (was heard) קוֹל֛וֹ (his voice) ע֖וֹד (longer) אֶל־ (on) הָרֵ֥י (the mountains) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃פ (of Israel).

10 אִמְּךָ֥ (Your mother was) כַגֶּ֛פֶן (was like a vine) בְּדָמְךָ֖ (in your bloodline), עַל־ (by) מַ֣יִם (the waters); שְׁתוּלָ֑ה (she was planted) פֹּֽרִיָּה֙ (fruitful) וַֽעֲנֵפָ֔ה (and full of branches) הָיְתָ֖ה (she was) מִמַּ֥יִם (from the waters) רַבִּֽים׃ (many).

11 וַיִּֽהְיוּ־ (And there were) לָ֞הּ (unto her) מַטּ֣וֹת (branches) עֹ֗ז (of strength) אֶל־ (for) שִׁבְטֵי֙ (scepters) מֹֽשְׁלִ֔ים (of rulers), וַתִּגְבַּ֥הּ (and she towered) קֽוֹמָת֖וֹ (in height) עַל־ (over) בֵּ֣ין (among) עֲבֹתִ֑ים (the thick branches), וַיֵּרָ֣א (and it was seen) בְגָבְה֔וֹ (in its height) בְּרֹ֖ב (in the abundance) דָּלִיֹּתָֽיו׃ (of its branches).

12 וַתֻּתַּ֤שׁ (And she was uprooted) בְּחֵמָה֙ (in fury), לָאָ֣רֶץ (and to the ground), הֻשְׁלָ֔כָה (she was thrown down) וְר֥וּחַ (and the wind from) הַקָּדִ֖ים (the east) הוֹבִ֣ישׁ (dried up) פִּרְיָ֑הּ (her fruit). הִתְפָּרְק֧וּ (Were broken) וְיָבֵ֛שׁוּ (and withered); מַטֵּ֥ה (branches) עֻזָּ֖הּ (of her strength) אֵ֥שׁ (fire) אֲכָלָֽתְהוּ׃ (consumed them).

13 וְעַתָּ֖ה (And now) שְׁתוּלָ֣ה (she is planted) בַמִּדְבָּ֑ר (in the wilderness), בְּאֶ֖רֶץ (in a land) צִיָּ֥ה (of dryness) וְצָמָֽא׃ (and thirst).

14 וַתֵּצֵ֨א (And has gone out) אֵ֜שׁ (fire) מִמַּטֵּ֤ה (from a staff) בַדֶּ֙יהָ֙ (of her branches), פִּרְיָ֣הּ (and her fruit), אָכָ֔לָה (it devoured) וְלֹא־ (so that not) הָ֥יָה (there should be) בָ֛הּ (in her) מַטֵּה־ (staff) עֹ֖ז (of strength) שֵׁ֣בֶט (or scepter) לִמְשׁ֑וֹל (for ruling). קִ֥ינָה (A lamentation), הִ֖יא (this is) וַתְּהִ֥י (and it has come to be) לְקִינָֽה׃פ (for lamentation).