“ Son of man, offer a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel.

“人子啊，你要向以色列家出谜语，设比喻，

“人子啊，你要向以色列家出谜语，设比喻，

“人子啊，你要向以色列家出谜语，设比喻，

“人子啊，你要向以色列人出谜语，讲比喻，

“人子啊！你要向以色列家出谜语，设比喻，

「人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，

「人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，

「人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，

「人子啊，你要向以色列人出謎語，講比喻，

“人子啊！你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，

『人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，

人子歟、其設謎語、作譬詞、謂以色列家曰、

人子、當設譬示以色列族、以隱語相試、

人子、當設隱語、立譬言、示以色列族、

“ Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.

“ Son of man, tell the people of Israel a story about their kings. Let them know what will happen to them.

“ Son of man, propound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;

“ Son of man, give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel.

“ Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel.

“ Son of man, ask a riddle and present a parable to the house of Israel,

“ Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

“ Son of man, pose a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel.

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

“ Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;

Then I said,“ O sovereign LORD! They are saying of me,‘ Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?’”

Samson said to them,“ I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.But if you cannot solve it, you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him,“ Let us hear your riddle.”He said to them,“ Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong one came something sweet.” They could not solve the riddle for three days.On the fourth day they said to Samson’s bride,“ Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. If you refuse, we will burn up you and your father’s family. Did you invite us here to make us poor?”So Samson’s bride cried on his shoulder and said,“ You must hate me; you do not love me! You told the young men a riddle, but you have not told me the solution.” He said to her,“ Look, I have not even told my father or mother. Do you really expect me to tell you?”She cried on his shoulder until the party was almost over. Finally, on the seventh day, he told her because she had nagged him so much. Then she told the young men the solution to the riddle.On the seventh day, before the sun set, the men of the city said to him,“ What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them,“ If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”The LORD’s spirit empowered him. He went down to Ashkelon and murdered thirty men. He took their clothes and gave them to the men who had solved the riddle. He was furious as he went back home.

I spoke to the prophets; I myself revealed many visions; I spoke in parables through the prophets.”

So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said,“ There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him.“ When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him.”

For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:‘ You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.

“ The trees were determined to go out and choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree,‘ Be our king!’But the olive tree said to them,‘ I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!’“ So the trees said to the fig tree,‘ You come and be our king!’But the fig tree said to them,‘ I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!’“ So the trees said to the grapevine,‘ You come and be our king!’But the grapevine said to them,‘ I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!’“ So all the trees said to the thornbush,‘ You come and be our king!’The thornbush said to the trees,‘ If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’

So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.

This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet:“ I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”

For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known.

Recite a proverb to this rebellious house and say to them,‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says:“‘ Set on the pot, set it on, pour water in it too;