1“Also, sing a mournful song about the rulers of Israel.
2Say, ‘What was your mother like? She was a lioness. She lay down among lions, and she raised her cubs among young lions.
3She raised one of her cubs. He became a young lion and learned to hunt prey. He attacked people.
4The nations heard about him too. He was caught in their trap, and they dragged him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5“‘Now when she saw that she had waited in vain and her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.
6He moved among the lions; he became a young lion and learned to hunt prey. He attacked people.
7He attacked their palaces and destroyed their cities. The land and everything in it became desolate because of the sound of his roaring.
8Then the nations from every side in the provinces attacked him. They spread their net over him, and he was caught in their trap.
9They put him in a cage with hooks and took him to the king of Babylon. They brought him into fortresses so that his roar would no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel.’
10Your mother was like a vine, from your own family line, planted by the water. It was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant water.
11It produced strong branches fit for rulers' scepters. Its stature grew tall among the thick branches, and it was admired for its height with its many branches.
12But it was angrily pulled up and thrown to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were broken off and withered, and fire consumed them.
13Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.
14Fire has come out from its own branches and devoured its fruit, so there is no strong branch left to be a ruling scepter. This is a song of sorrow, and it will remain a song of sorrow.”