17:1 耶和华的话临到我说，
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17:2 人子阿，你要向以色列家出谜语，设比喻，
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
17:3 说主耶和华如此说，有一大鹰，翅膀大，翎毛长，羽毛丰满，彩色俱备，来到黎巴嫩，将香柏树梢拧去，
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
17:4 就是折去香柏树尽尖的嫩枝，叼到贸易之地，放在买卖城中。
He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
17:5 又将以色列地的枝子栽于肥田里，插在大水旁，如插柳树，
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
17:6 就渐渐生长，成为蔓延矮小的葡萄树。其枝转向那鹰，其根在鹰以下，于是成了葡萄树，生出枝子，发出小枝。
And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
17:7 又有一大鹰，翅膀大，羽毛多。这葡萄树从栽种的畦中向这鹰弯过根来，发出枝子，好得它的浇灌。
There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
17:8 这树栽于肥田多水的旁边，好生枝子，结果子，成为佳美的葡萄树。
It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.
17:9 你要说，主耶和华如此说，这葡萄树岂能发旺呢。鹰岂不拔出它的根来，芟除它的果子，使它枯乾，使它发的嫩叶都枯乾了吗。也不用大力和多民，就拔出它的根来。
Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
17:10 葡萄树虽然栽种，岂能发旺呢。一经东风，岂不全然枯乾吗。必在生长的畦中枯乾了。
Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
17:11 耶和华的话临到我说，
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17:12 你对那悖逆之家说，你们不知道这些事是什么意思吗。你要告诉他们说，巴比伦王曾到耶路撒冷，将其中的君王和首领带到巴比伦自己那里去。
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
17:13 从以色列的宗室中取一人与他立约，使他发誓，并将国中有势力的人掳去，
And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
17:14 使国低微不能自强，惟因守盟约得以存立。
That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
17:15 他却背叛巴比伦王，打发使者往埃及去，要他们给他马匹和多民。他岂能亨通呢。行这样事的人岂能逃脱呢。他背约岂能逃脱呢。
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
17:16 他轻看向王所起的誓，背弃王与他所立的约。主耶和华说，我指着我的永生起誓，他定要死在立他作王，巴比伦王的京都。
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
17:17 敌人筑垒造台，与他打仗的时候，为要剪除多人，法老虽领大军队和大群众，还是不能帮助他。
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
17:18 他轻看誓言，背弃盟约，已经投降，却又作这一切的事，他必不能逃脱。
Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
17:19 所以主耶和华如此说，我指着我的永生起誓，他既轻看指我所起的誓，背弃指我所立的约，我必要使这罪归在他头上。
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
17:20 我必将我的网撒在他身上，他必在我的网罗中缠住。我必带他到巴比伦，并要在那里因他干犯我的罪刑罚他。
And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
17:21 他的一切军队，凡逃跑的，都必倒在刀下。所剩下的，也必分散四方（方原文作风）。你们就知道说这话的是我耶和华。
And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.
17:22 主耶和华如此说，我要将香柏树梢拧去栽上，就是从尽尖的嫩枝中折一嫩枝，栽于极高的山上。
Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
17:23 在以色列高处的山栽上。它就生枝子，结果子，成为佳美的香柏树，各类飞鸟都必宿在其下，就是宿在枝子的荫下。
In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
17:24 田野的树木都必知道我耶和华使高树矮小，矮树高大。青树枯乾，枯树发旺。我耶和华如此说，也如此行了。
And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.