1. The word of the Lord came to me:
2. “Son of man, offer a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel.
3. Say to them: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:“‘A great eagle with broad wings, long feathers,with full plumage which was multi-hued,came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.
4. He plucked off its topmost shoot;he brought it to a land of merchantsand planted it in a city of traders.