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31:1  The Lord gave this message to me on the first day of the 3rd month, in the 11th year:
31:2  ‘Son of man, say this to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his people: “You think that you are as powerful as any other country!
31:3  Think about how powerful Assyria was. At one time, it was as strong as a great cedar tree in Lebanon. It had beautiful branches that gave shade in the forest. It was very tall. Its top reached up to the clouds.
31:4  Springs of water from under the ground helped it to grow very tall. Rivers passed around the place where the tree was. Streams from there gave water to all the trees in the forest.
31:5  So this cedar tree grew taller than all the other trees. Its branches became large and very long. It grew very well because it had plenty of water.
31:6  All kinds of birds built their nests among its leaves. Under its branches, the wild animals gave birth. All the great nations lived in its shade.
31:7  It was great and beautiful, with long branches. Its roots went down deep into the ground and they drank plenty of water.
31:8  The cedar trees in God's garden were not as beautiful. The branches of the pine trees were not as strong. No other tree in God's garden was nearly as great or as beautiful.
31:9  I made that tree beautiful, with all its strong branches. All the trees in Eden, God's garden, were jealous of that tree.
31:10  So this is what the Almighty Lord says: That great tree, Assyria, was very tall. Its top reached up to the clouds. It was very proud because it was so great.
31:11  Because of that, I put it under the power of the ruler of the nations. He has punished it as it deserved for its sins. In that way, I have removed it.
31:12  Foreigners from cruel nations have cut it down. They have left it on the ground. Its broken branches lie on the mountains and in the valleys. The people of other nations no longer live in its shade. They have gone away.
31:13  Now the birds go and sit on the bits of the tree that remain. The wild animals walk over its branches.
31:14  Because of that, no tree will ever grow as tall again. Even if it receives plenty of water, no tree will grow so tall that its top reaches up to the clouds. All trees will die and fall to the ground. Like people, they must die and go into their graves, under the ground.
31:15  This is what the Almighty Lord says: This tree has died and it has gone down into its grave. When that happened, I caused people to be very sad. I caused the springs of water to stop. There were no longer streams with plenty of water. I caused the mountains of Lebanon to become dark. All the trees in the forest became dry.
31:16  The other nations shook when they heard that great tree fall. I had caused it to go down into its grave, deep under the ground, as all people must die. The other strong trees saw what had happened to the great cedar tree. They were the trees of Eden and the best trees of Lebanon that had received plenty of water. They were pleased to see that the great cedar tree had fallen down.
31:17  The trees that had lived in the great tree's shade also fell and went into their graves. Those are the nations that had helped the great tree to fight its battles. They went to join other soldiers who had died in war.
31:18  Yes, Egypt is very strong, like the great trees of Eden. You are as great and powerful as any nation. But you will fall to the ground and go into your grave. It happened to Assyria and the other nations, and it will happen to you. You will lie under the ground among people who do not belong to me and who have died in war. This is a picture of what will happen to Pharaoh and all his people. That is what the Almighty Lord says.” ’