'God, the Master, says:
"A great eagle
With a huge wingspan and long feathers,
In plumage and bright colors,
Came to Lebanon
And took the top off a cedar,
broke off the top branch
Took it to a land of traders,
and set it down in a city of shopkeepers
Then he took a cutting from the land
And planted it in good, well-watered soil,
like a willow on a riverbank.
It sprouted into a flourishing vine,
low to the ground.
Its branches grew towards the eagle
and the roots became established
A vine putting out shoots,
developing branches.
"There was another great eagle
with a huge wingspan and thickly feathered.
This vine sent out its roots toward him
from the place where it was planted.
Its branches reached out to him
so he could water it
from a long distance.
It had been planted
in good, well-watered soil,
And it put out branches and bore fruit,
and became a noble vine.
" 'God, the Master, says,
Will it thrive?
Won't he just pull it up by the roots
and leave the grapes to rot
And the branches to shrivel up,
a withered, dead vine?
It won't take much strength
or many hands to pull it up
Even if it's transplanted
Will it thrive?
When the hot east wind strikes it,
won't it shrivel up?
Won't it dry up and blow away
from the place where it was planted?' "