A Funeral Song for Israel's Leaders
The Lord said:
1 Ezekiel, sing a funeral song for two of Israel's leaders:
2 Your mother was a brave lioness
who raised her cubs
among lions.
3 She taught one of them to hunt,
and he learned to eat people.
4 When the nations heard of him,
they trapped him in a pit,
then they used hooks
to drag him to Egypt.
5 His mother waited
for him to return.
But soon she lost all hope
and raised another cub,
who also became fierce.
6 He hunted with other lions
and learned to eat people.
7 He destroyed fortresses
and ruined towns;
his mighty roar
terrified everyone.
8 Nations plotted to kill him,
and people came from all over
to spread out a net
and catch him in a trap.
9 They put him in a cage
and took him to Babylonia.
The lion was locked away,
so that his mighty roar
would never again be heard
on Israel's hills.
10 Your mother was a vine like you,
growing near a stream.
There was plenty of water,
so she was filled with branches
and with lots of fruit.
11 Her strong branches
became symbols of authority,
and she was taller
than all other trees—
everyone could see how strong
and healthy she was.
12 But in anger, I pulled her up
by the roots
and threw her to the ground,
where the scorching desert wind
dried out her fruit.
Her strong branches wilted
and burned up.
13 Then she was planted
in a hot, dry desert,
14 where her stem caught fire,
and flames burned
her branches and fruit.
Not one strong branch is left;
she is stripped bare.
This funeral song must be sung with sorrow.
Omutambo mbwa tjitirwa ozohivirikwa za Israel
1 Muhona wa raera ku ami okutjitira ozohivirikwa za Israel omutambo mbwi:
2 Nyoko, tjiri, wa ri ongeyama onḓenḓu!
Oyo ye kurisira ovikeyamona vyayo
mokati kozongeyama ozondwezu.
3 Ye kurisa otjikeyamona tjimwe
tjayo nai tji hongo okuyeva;
kombunda otji tja karira otjiryavandu.
4 Oviwaṋa vya zuva ongeyama ndji,
notji vye i kamburira moruhoro nave
i kokozorere kOengipte nozombate.
5 Ongeyama onḓenḓu ndji tji ya muna
kutja kai tji nomaundjiro rukwao,
arire tji ye kurisa otjikeyamona
tjayo otjikwao;
notjo tja karira ongeyama onamasa.
6 Notjo tji tje kura aatji tjingauka puna
ozongeyama ozongwao.
Otjo wina tje rihonga okuyeva
natji karira otjiryavandu.
7 Iyatji teya oviṱunga nu atji nyono ovihuro.
Ovature vehi aave zezera aruhe
tjaa tji tye ovimboro.
8 Oviwaṋa vya wongara okuketjirwisa;
ovandu ave zu komikuma avihe.
Owo va yara ozombate zawo nave
tji kamburire moruhoro.
9 Owo ve tji twa motjiwongo nave tji
twara kombara ya Babilon.
Owo ave tji tjevere kokutja ombosiro
yeraka ratjo ai ha kazuvaka
rukwao kozondundu za Israel.
10 Nyoko wa ri otja omuvite mbwa
kuninwe meṋe yomupupo womeva;
mena rokutja pa ri omeva omengi omuvite
wa potere nomaso novihape.
11 Otutavi twawo twa ri otunamasa nu twa
hapere kutja tu rire outi wouhona.
Omuvite mbwi wa hapere okurira omure
pu pa yenene okuvaza ovikamba.
Omundu auhe aa yenene okumuna oure
nomapotero womaso wawo e ri kokure.
12 Nungwari omize vyawo vya zukurwa
momapindi navi nakaurirwa pehi;
ombepo yokomuhuka ya kukutisa ovihape vyawo;
otutavi twawo twa teyewa,
oto twa kukuta natu nyosiwa.
13 Nambano omuvite mbwi wa kuninwe
mokuti orunguza,
mehi ekukutu nu ndi hi nomeva.
14 Omukono wa yakura nomuriro au
seseta otutavi novihape vyawo.
Otutavi twi kamaatu karira otunamasa rukwao,
nu kamaatu karira outi wozombara rukwao.
Eimburiro ndi oromutambo; nu iyari imburwa aruhe.
