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The Two Eagles and the Vine

17The word of the Lord came to me: ²O mortal, propound a riddle, and speak an allegory to the house of Israel. ³Say: Thus says the Lord God:
A great eagle, with great wings and long pinions,
   rich in plumage of many colours,
   came to the Lebanon.
He took the top of the cedar,
⁴   broke off its topmost shoot;
he carried it to a land of trade,
   set it in a city of merchants.
⁵ Then he took a seed from the land,
   placed it in fertile soil;
a plant^* by abundant waters,
   he set it like a willow twig.
⁶ It sprouted and became a vine,
   spreading out, but low;
its branches turned towards him,
   its roots remained where it stood.
So it became a vine;
   it brought forth branches,
   put forth foliage.

⁷ There was another great eagle,
   with great wings and much plumage.
And see! This vine stretched out
   its roots towards him;
it shot out its branches towards him,
   so that he might water it.
From the bed where it was planted
⁸   it was transplanted
to good soil by abundant waters,
   so that it might produce branches
   and bear fruit
   and become a noble vine.
⁹Say: Thus says the Lord God:
Will it prosper?
Will he not pull up its roots,
   cause its fruit to rot^* and wither,
   its fresh sprouting leaves to fade?
No strong arm or mighty army will be needed
   to pull it from its roots.
¹⁰ When it is transplanted, will it thrive?
When the east wind strikes it,
   will it not utterly wither,
   wither on the bed where it grew?