A Lament for the Princes of Israel
וְאַתָּה֙ שָׂ֣א קִינָ֔ה אֶל־נְשִׂיאֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
“As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel
וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ מָ֤ה אִמְּךָ֙ לְבִיָּ֔א בֵּ֥ין אֲרָי֖וֹת רָבָ֑צָה בְּת֥וֹךְ כְּפִרִ֖ים רִבְּתָ֥ה גוּרֶֽיהָ׃
and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness among the lions! She lay down among the young lions; she reared her cubs.
וַתַּ֛עַל אֶחָ֥ד מִגֻּרֶ֖יהָ כְּפִ֣יר הָיָ֑ה וַיִּלְמַ֥ד לִטְרָף־טֶ֖רֶף אָדָ֥ם אָכָֽל׃
She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.
וַיִּשְׁמְע֥וּ אֵלָ֛יו גּוֹיִ֖ם בְּשַׁחְתָּ֣ם נִתְפָּ֑שׂ וַיְבִאֻ֥הוּ בַֽחַחִ֖ים אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
When the nations heard of him, he was trapped in their pit. With hooks they led him away to the land of Egypt.
וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י נֽוֹחֲלָ֔ה אָבְדָ֖ה תִּקְוָתָ֑הּ וַתִּקַּ֛ח אֶחָ֥ד מִגֻּרֶ֖יהָ כְּפִ֥יר שָׂמָֽתְהוּ׃
When she saw that she had waited in vain, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.
וַיִּתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בְּתוֹךְ־אֲרָי֖וֹת כְּפִ֣יר הָיָ֑ה וַיִּלְמַ֥ד לִטְרָף־טֶ֖רֶף אָדָ֥ם אָכָֽל׃
He prowled among the lions, and became a young lion. After learning to tear his prey, he devoured men.
וַיֵּ֙דַע֙ אַלְמְנוֹתָ֔יו וְעָרֵיהֶ֖ם הֶחֱרִ֑יב וַתֵּ֤שַׁם אֶ֙רֶץ֙ וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ מִקּ֖וֹל שַׁאֲגָתֽוֹ׃
He broke down their strongholds and devastated their cities. The land and everything in it shuddered at the sound of his roaring.
וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ עָלָ֥יו גּוֹיִ֛ם סָבִ֖יב מִמְּדִינ֑וֹת וַֽיִּפְרְשׂ֥וּ עָלָ֛יו רִשְׁתָּ֖ם בְּשַׁחְתָּ֥ם נִתְפָּֽשׂ׃
Then the nations set out against him from the provinces on every side. They spread their net over him; he was trapped in their pit.
וַֽיִּתְּנֻ֤הוּ בַסּוּגַר֙ בַּֽחַחִ֔ים וַיְבִאֻ֖הוּ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל יְבִאֻ֙הוּ֙ בַּמְּצֹד֔וֹת לְמַ֗עַן לֹא־יִשָּׁמַ֥ע קוֹל֛וֹ ע֖וֹד אֶל־הָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ
With hooks they caged him and brought him to the king of Babylon. They brought him into captivity so that his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.
אִמְּךָ֥ כַגֶּ֛פֶן בְּדָמְךָ֖ עַל־מַ֣יִם שְׁתוּלָ֑ה פֹּֽרִיָּה֙ וַֽעֲנֵפָ֔ה הָיְתָ֖ה מִמַּ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃
Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters.
וַיִּֽהְיוּ־לָ֞הּ מַטּ֣וֹת עֹ֗ז אֶל־שִׁבְטֵי֙ מֹֽשְׁלִ֔ים וַתִּגְבַּ֥הּ קֽוֹמָת֖וֹ עַל־בֵּ֣ין עֲבֹתִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֣א בְגָבְה֔וֹ בְּרֹ֖ב דָּלִיֹּתָֽיו׃
It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick branches, conspicuous for its height and for its dense foliage.
וַתֻּתַּ֤שׁ בְּחֵמָה֙ לָאָ֣רֶץ הֻשְׁלָ֔כָה וְר֥וּחַ הַקָּדִ֖ים הוֹבִ֣ישׁ פִּרְיָ֑הּ הִתְפָּרְק֧וּ וְיָבֵ֛שׁוּ מַטֵּ֥ה עֻזָּ֖הּ אֵ֥שׁ אֲכָלָֽתְהוּ׃
But it was uprooted in fury, cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were stripped off and they withered; the fire consumed them.
וְעַתָּ֖ה שְׁתוּלָ֣ה בַמִּדְבָּ֑ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ צִיָּ֥ה וְצָמָֽא׃
Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.
וַתֵּצֵ֨א אֵ֜שׁ מִמַּטֵּ֤ה בַדֶּ֙יהָ֙ פִּרְיָ֣הּ אָכָ֔לָה וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה בָ֛הּ מַטֵּה־עֹ֖ז שֵׁ֣בֶט לִמְשׁ֑וֹל קִ֥ינָה הִ֖יא וַתְּהִ֥י לְקִינָֽה׃ פ
Fire has gone out from its main branch and devoured its fruit; on it no strong branch remains fit for a ruler’s scepter.’ This is a lament and shall be used as a lament.”