1. As for you, son of man, intone a lamentation for the princes of Israel.

2. Say: A lioness among lions was your mother! Crouching among the cubs she nursed her whelps.

3. One of these she pushed forward and he grew to be a young lion, able to tear his prey and become a man-eater.

4. But the nations heard about him and he was trapped in their pit; and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

5. When she saw that her hope had come to nothing, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

6. He strutted among the others for he had become a strong lion, able to tear his prey and be a man-eater.

7. He destroyed their strongholds and ravaged their towns. The country and its inhabitants were alarmed at the sound of his roar.

8. But the nations came against him from the regions round about. They spread their net over him and caught him in their pit.

9. They put him in a cage with hooks and brought him to the king of Babylon. There he was put in custody so that his roar was no longer heard in the mountains of Israel.

10. Your mother was like the vine of a vineyard planted near water. It became fruitful and leafy from being so well-watered.

11. It produced a vigorous branch that became a royal scepter towering above the foliage. It was outstanding for its height and its numerous branches.

12. But the vine was uprooted in fury and cast down to the ground. The east wind dried it up and stripped it of its fruit. Its vigorous branch withered and was burned by fire.

13. It is now planted in the desert, in an arid land of drought.

14. Fire from its stem has destroyed its branches and fruit. No vigorous branch or royal scepter has been left. This is a lament that people will sing.





“Comunguemos com santo temor e com grande amor.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina