Through your messengers you have laughed at me again and again. And you have said,‘ I have many chariots. With them I have climbed to the tops of the mountains. I’ve climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon. I’ve cut down its tallest cedar trees. I’ve cut down the best of its juniper trees. I’ve reached its farthest mountains. I’ve reached its finest forests.

你藉你的臣仆辱骂主说：我率领许多战车上山顶，到黎巴嫩极深之处；我要砍伐其中高大的香柏树和佳美的松树。我必上极高之处，进入肥田的树林。

你藉臣仆辱骂主说：我率领许多战车登上高山，到黎巴嫩的顶端；我要砍伐其中高大的香柏树和上好的松树。我必上到极高之处，进入茂盛的森林里。

你藉臣仆辱骂主说：我率领许多战车登上高山，到黎巴嫩的顶端；我要砍伐其中高大的香柏树和上好的松树。我必上到极高之处，进入茂盛的森林里。

你借你的使者侮辱主。你说你带着许多战车上到群山之巅，上到黎巴嫩的巅峰，砍下最高的香柏树和上好的松树，征服最高的山和最美的树林。

你藉着你的臣仆辱骂主；你又说：我率领我众多的战车上了群山的高峰，到了黎巴嫩极深之处。我砍伐其中高大的香柏树和佳美的松树；我去到极高之处，进入肥田般的树林。

你藉着你的臣仆辱骂神；你又说：我带着众多的战车，上到群山的高峰和黎巴嫩的极深之处；我砍伐黎巴嫩最高的香柏树和最好的松树，来到它的极高之处和最茂密的森林；

你藉你的臣僕辱罵主說：我率領許多戰車上山頂，到黎巴嫩極深之處；我要砍伐其中高大的香柏樹和佳美的松樹。我必上極高之處，進入肥田的樹林。

你藉臣僕辱罵主說：我率領許多戰車登上高山，到黎巴嫩的頂端；我要砍伐其中高大的香柏樹和上好的松樹。我必上到極高之處，進入茂盛的森林裏。

你藉臣僕辱罵主說：我率領許多戰車登上高山，到黎巴嫩的頂端；我要砍伐其中高大的香柏樹和上好的松樹。我必上到極高之處，進入茂盛的森林裏。

你藉你的使者侮辱主。你說你帶著許多戰車上到群山之巔，上到黎巴嫩的巔峰，砍下最高的香柏樹和上好的松樹，征服最高的山和最美的樹林。

你藉著你的臣僕辱罵主；你又說：我率領我眾多的戰車上了群山的高峰，到了黎巴嫩極深之處。我砍伐其中高大的香柏樹和佳美的松樹；我去到極高之處，進入肥田般的樹林。

你假手於你的臣僕來辱罵永恆主；你並且說：「我用我眾多的車輛；我上了山嶺的高峰，我到利巴嫩的極深處；我砍伐它高大的香柏樹，上好的松樹；我進到極遠的高處，園地般的森林。

你藉著你的臣僕辱罵神；你又說：我帶著眾多的戰車，上到群山的高峰和黎巴嫩的極深之處；我砍伐黎巴嫩最高的香柏樹和最好的松樹，來到它的極高之處和最茂密的森林；

爾藉臣僕侮主、曰我率眾車陟於山巔、至利巴嫩之深處、伐其香柏之高者、松木之美者、將入其境之極處、即腴壤之森林、

爾遣僕侮耶和華云、我率眾車、已躋山巔、在利巴嫩旁、斫柏香木之高者、松柏之美者、我必造其極處、奪其良田、

爾藉使者毀謗主云、我率戰車眾多、登山巔、至利巴嫩山旁、伐柏香木之高者、柏樹之美者、我已至其境之極處、至其茂密之樹林、

By your messengers you have ridiculed the Lord. And you have said,‘ With my many chariots I have ascended the heights of the mountains, the utmost heights of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the choicest of its junipers. I have reached its remotest heights, the finest of its forests.

By your servants you have mocked the Lord, and you have said, With my many chariots I have gone up the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon, to cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses, to come to its remotest height, its most fruitful forest.

By your messengers you have defied the Lord. You have said,‘ With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest heights and explored its deepest forests.

You have mocked the Lord through your servants. You have said,“ With my many chariots I have gone up to the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars, its choice cypress trees. I came to its distant heights, its densest forest.

Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, And you have said,‘ With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains, To the remotest parts of Lebanon; And I cut down its tall cedars and its choice junipers. And I will come to its highest peak, its thickest forest.

By your servants you have reproached the Lord, And said,‘ By the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, To the limits of Lebanon; I will cut down its tall cedars And its choice cypress trees; I will enter its farthest height, To its fruitful forest.

By thy servants hast thou defied the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir- trees thereof; and I will enter into its farthest height, the forest of its fruitful field;

You have mocked the Lord through your servants. You have said,“ With my many chariots I have gone up to the heights of the mountains, to the far recesses of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars, its choice cypress trees. I came to its distant heights, its densest forest.

By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof,[ and] the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border,[ and] the forest of his Carmel.

Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master,‘ With my many chariots I climbed up the high mountains, the slopes of Lebanon. I cut down its tall cedars and its best evergreens. I invaded its most remote regions, its thickest woods.

By your servants, you have defied the Lord, and have said,“ With the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon. I will cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypress trees. I will enter into its farthest height, the forest of its fruitful field.

Even the juniper trees show how happy they are. The cedar trees of Lebanon celebrate too. They say,‘ Babylon, you have fallen. Now no one comes and cuts us down.’

He will completely destroy the beauty of their forests and rich farm lands. The Assyrian army will be like a sick person who becomes weaker and weaker.

Think about what happened to Assyria. Once it was like a cedar tree in Lebanon. It had beautiful branches that provided shade for the forest. It grew very high. Its top was above all the leaves.The waters fed it. Deep springs made it grow tall. Their streams flowed all around its base. They made their way to all the trees in the fields.So it grew higher than any other tree in the fields. It grew more limbs. Its branches grew long. They spread because they had plenty of water.All the birds in the sky made their nests in its limbs. All the wild animals had their babies under its branches. All the great nations lived in its shade.Its spreading branches made it majestic and beautiful. Its roots went down deep to where there was plenty of water.The cedar trees in my garden were no match for it. The juniper trees could not equal its limbs. The plane trees could not compare with its branches. No tree in my garden could match its beauty.I gave it many branches. They made it beautiful. All the trees in my Garden of Eden were jealous of it.’ ”So the Lord and King says,“ The great cedar tree grew very high. Its top was above all the leaves. It was proud of how tall it was.So I handed it over to the Babylonian ruler of the nations. I wanted him to punish it because it was so evil. I decided to get rid of it.The Babylonians cut it down and left it there. They did not show it any pity at all. Some of its branches fell on the mountains. Others fell in all the valleys. The branches lay broken in all the stream beds in the land. All the nations on earth came out from under its shade. And they went on their way.All the birds settled on the fallen tree. All the wild animals lived among its branches.So trees that receive plenty of water must never grow so high that it makes them proud. Their tops must never be above the rest of the leaves. No other trees that receive a lot of water must ever grow that high. They are appointed to die and go down into the earth below. They will join human beings, who go down to the place of the dead.”The Lord and King says,“ Assyria was like a cedar tree. But I brought it down to the place of the dead. On that day I dried up the deep springs of water and covered them. I held its streams back. I shut off its rich supply of water. Because of that, Lebanon was dressed in gloom as if it were clothes. All the trees in the fields dried up.I brought the cedar tree down to the place of the dead. It joined the other nations that go down there. I made the nations on earth shake because of the sound of its fall. Then all the trees of Eden were comforted in the earth below. That included the finest and best trees in Lebanon. And it included all the trees that received plenty of water.Others also went down along with the cedar tree into the place of the dead. They included those who had been killed by swords. They also included the armed men among the nations who lived in its shade.“ Which one of the trees of Eden can be compared with you? What tree is as glorious and majestic as you are? But you too will be brought down to the earth below. There you will join the trees of Eden. You will lie down with those who have not been circumcised. You will be among those who were killed by swords.“ That is what will happen to Pharaoh and his huge armies,” announces the Lord and King.

Perhaps the Lord your God will hear everything the field commander has said. His master, the king of Assyria, has sent him to make fun of the living God. Maybe the Lord your God will punish him for what he has heard him say. So pray for the remaining people who are still alive here.’ ”

The king of Assyria says,“‘ By my power I have taken over all these nations. I am very wise. I have great understanding. I have wiped out the borders between nations. I’ve taken their treasures. Like a great hero I’ve brought their kings under my control.I’ve taken the wealth of the nations. It was as easy as reaching into a bird’s nest. I’ve gathered the riches of all these countries. It was as easy as gathering eggs that have been left in a nest. Not a single baby bird flapped its wings. Not one of them opened its mouth to chirp.’ ”

Some trust in chariots. Some trust in horses. But we trust in the Lord our God.

In a very short time, Lebanon will be turned into rich farm lands. The rich farm lands will seem like a forest.

Finally, Daniel came to me. He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god. The spirit of the holy gods is in him. I told him my dream.I said,“ Belteshazzar, you are chief of the magicians. I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you. No mystery is too hard for you to figure out. Here is my dream. Tell me what it means.Here are the visions I saw while I was lying in bed. I looked up and saw a tree standing in the middle of the land. It was very tall.It had grown to be large and strong. Its top touched the sky. It could be seen anywhere on earth.Its leaves were beautiful. It had a lot of fruit on it. It provided enough food for people and animals. Under the tree, the wild animals found safety. The birds lived in its branches. Every creature was fed from that tree.“ While I was still lying in bed, I looked up. In my visions, I saw a holy one. He was a messenger. He was coming down from heaven.He called out in a loud voice. He said,‘ Cut down the tree. Break off its branches. Strip off its leaves. Scatter its fruit. Let the animals under it run away. Let the birds in its branches fly off.

Don’t let Hezekiah talk you into trusting in the Lord. Don’t believe him when he says,“ You can be sure that the Lord will save us. This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” ’“ Don’t listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria says,‘ Make a peace treaty with me. Come over to my side. Then each one of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree. Each one of you will drink water from your own well.You will do that until I come back. Then I’ll take you to a land just like yours. It’s a land that has a lot of grain and fresh wine. It has plenty of bread and vineyards.“‘ Don’t let Hezekiah fool you. He’s telling you a lie when he says,“ The Lord will save us.” Have the gods of any nations ever saved their lands from the power of the king of Assyria?Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they saved Samaria from my power?Which one of all the gods of those countries has been able to save their lands from me? So how can the Lord save Jerusalem from my power?’ ”

Who have you laughed at? Who have you spoken evil things against? Who have you raised your voice against? Who have you looked at so proudly? You have done it against me. I am the Holy One of Israel!Through your messengers you have dared to make fun of the Lord. And you have said,“ I have many chariots. With them I have gone to the tops of the mountains. I’ve climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon. I’ve cut down its tallest cedar trees. I’ve cut down the best of its juniper trees. I’ve reached its farthest parts. I’ve reached its finest forests.

“ Your enemies bragged,‘ We will chase Israel and will catch them. We’ll divide up what we take from them. We’ll eat them alive. We’ll pull our swords out. Our powerful hands will destroy them.’

You are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen. You can’t drive away even the least important officer among my master’s officials.

He said,“ Isn’t this the great Babylon I have built as a place for my royal palace? I used my mighty power to build it. It shows how glorious my majesty is.”

You saw a tree. It grew to be large and strong. Its top touched the sky. It could be seen from anywhere on earth.Its leaves were beautiful. It had a lot of fruit on it. It provided enough food for people and animals. Under the tree, the wild animals found safety. The birds lived in its branches.Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong. Your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky. Your rule has spread to all parts of the earth.

Lebanon, open your doors! Then fire can burn up your cedar trees.Juniper trees, cry out! The cedar trees have fallen down. The majestic trees are destroyed. Cry out, you oak trees of Bashan! The thick forest has been cut down.