Judges 9:7-15

JPS_ASV_Byz(i) 7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them: 'Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree: Reign thou over us. 9 But the olive-tree said unto them: Should I leave my fatness, seeing that by me they honour God and man, and go to hold sway over the trees? 10 And the trees said to the fig-tree: Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig-tree said unto them: Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruitage, and go to hold sway over the trees? 12 And the trees said unto the vine: Come thou, and reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them: Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to hold sway over the trees? 14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble: Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees: If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.