1. ‘Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel
2. and say:‘ “What a lioness was your motheramong the lions!She lay down among themand reared her cubs.
3. She brought up one of her cubs,and he became a strong lion.He learned to tear the preyand he became a man-eater.
4. The nations heard about him,and he was trapped in their pit.They led him with hooksto the land of Egypt.
5. ‘ “When she saw her hope unfulfilled,her expectation gone,she took another of her cubsand made him a strong lion.
6. He prowled among the lions,for he was now a strong lion.He learned to tear the preyand he became a man-eater.
7. He broke down their strongholdsand devastated their towns.The land and all who were in itwere terrified by his roaring.