Ezekiel 31

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the third month, the word of Yahweh was addressed to me asfol ows,	1 On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year, the word of the LORD came to me:
2 'Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and his throng of subjects: "What can compare with you forgreatness?	2 Son of man, say to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to his hordes: What are you like in your greatness?
3 I know: a cedar tree in the Lebanon with noble branches, dense foliage, lofty height. Its top pierces theclouds.	3 Behold, a cypress (cedar) in Lebanon, beautiful of branch, lofty of stature, amid the very clouds lifted its crest.
4 The waters have made it grow, the deep has made it tall, pouring its rivers round the place where it isplanted, sending rivulets to al the wild trees.	4 Waters made it grow, the abyss made it flourish, sending its rivers round where it was planted, turning its streams to all the trees of the field.
5 This is why its height was greater than that of other wild trees, its branches increased in number, itsboughs stretched wide, because of the plentiful waters making it grow.	5 Thus it grew taller than every other tree of the field, and longer of branch because of the abundant water.
6 Al the birds of heaven nested in its branches; under its boughs all wild animals dropped their young; inits shade sat many, many people.	6 In its boughs nested all the birds of the air, under its branches all beasts of the field gave birth, in its shade dwelt numerous peoples of every race.
7 It was beautiful in its size, in the span of its boughs; for its roots were in plentiful waters.	7 It became beautiful and stately in its spread of foliage, for its roots were turned toward abundant water.
8 There was no cedar like it in the garden of God, no cypress had branches such as these, no plane treecould match its boughs, no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty.	8 The cedars in the garden of God were not its equal, nor could the fir trees match its boughs, Neither were the plane trees like it for branches; no tree in the garden of God matched its beauty.
9 I had made it so lovely with its many branches that it was the envy of every tree in Eden, in the gardenof God.	9 I made it beautiful, with much foliage, the envy of all Eden's trees in the garden of God.
10 "Very wel , the Lord Yahweh says this: "Since it has raised itself to its ful height, has lifted its top into the clouds, and has grown arrogant about its height,	10 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because it became lofty in stature, raising its crest among the clouds, and because it became proud in heart at its height,
11 I have handed it over to the prince of the nations, for him to treat as its wickedness deserves; I haverejected it.	11 I have handed it over to the mightiest of the nations, which has dealt with it in keeping with its wickedness. I humiliated it.
12 Foreigners, the most barbarous of nations, have cut it down and deserted it. On the mountains, in althe val eys, lie its branches; its broken boughs are in every ravine throughout the country; everybody in thecountry has fled its shade and deserted it.	12 Foreigners, the most ruthless of the nations, cut it down and left it on the mountains. Its foliage was brought low in all the valleys, its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the land withdrew from its shade, abandoning it.
13 On its wreckage perch al the birds of heaven; all the wild animals have advanced on its branches.	13 On its fallen trunk rested all the birds of the air, and by its branches were all the beasts of the field.
14 "So in future let no tree rear its height beside the waters, none push its top into the clouds, nowatered tree stretch its height towards them. For al of them are doomed to death, to the depths of theunderworld, with the common run of humanity, with those who sink into oblivion.	14 Thus no tree may grow lofty in stature or raise its crest among the clouds; no tree fed by water may stand by itself in its loftiness. For all of them are destined for death, for the land below, For the company of mortals, those who go down into the pit.
15 "The Lord Yahweh says this: The day it went down to Sheol, I imposed mourning, I closed the deepover it. I stopped its rivers and the plentiful waters dried up; I made Lebanon dark because of it, and al the wildtrees wilted because of it.	15 Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day he went down to the nether world I made the abyss close up over him; I stopped its streams so that the deep waters were held back. I cast gloom over Lebanon because of him, so that all the trees in the land drooped on his account.
16 With the noise when it fel I made the nations quake, as I hurled it down to Sheol, with those who sinkinto oblivion. In the depths of the underworld al the trees of Eden took comfort, the pick of the loveliest trees ofthe Lebanon, al irrigated by the waters.	16 At the crash of his fall I made the nations rock, when I cast him down to the nether world with those who go down into the pit. In the land below, all Eden's trees were consoled, Lebanon's choice and best, all that were fed by water.
17 And its offspring among the nations, once living in its shade, went down to Sheol with it, to those whohave been slaughtered by the sword.	17 They too have come down with him to the nether world, to those slain by the sword; those who dwelt in his shade are dispersed among the nations.
18 "Which of the trees of Eden compares with you for glory and greatness? Yet you have been hurleddown with the trees of Eden, to the depths of the underworld, among the uncircumcised, and there you lie withthose who have been slaughtered by the sword. So much for Pharaoh and al his throng -- declares the LordYahweh." '	18 Which was your equal in glory or size among the trees of Eden? Yet you have been brought down with the trees of Eden to the land below. You shall lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. Such are Pharaoh and all his hordes, says the Lord GOD.