A reading from the book of Ezekiel.

In the 12th year, in the 12th month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me.

Son of man, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh King of Egypt and say to him,

You consider yourself a lion of the nations,

but you are like a dragon in the seas.

You burst forth in your rivers,

trouble the waters with your feet,

and foul their rivers.

Thus says the Lord God,

I will throw my net over you with a host of many peoples, and they will haul you up in my

dragnet.

And I will cast you on the ground.

On the open field I will fling you, and will cause all the birds of the heavens to settle

on you, and I will gorge the beasts of the whole earth with you. I will strew your flesh upon the mountains

and fill the valleys with your carcass. I will drench the land even to the mountains with your

flowing blood and the ravines will be full of you. When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens

and make their stars dark. I will cover the sun with a cloud,

and the moon shall not give its light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over you,

and put darkness on your land, declares the Lord God. I will trouble the hearts of many peoples when I bring your destruction among the nations

into the countries that you have not known.

I will make many peoples appalled at you, and the hair of their kings shall bristle with horror

because of you when I brandish my sword before them.

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