Because I said so.

Decree of God, the Master.’ ”

11–19  God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, raise a funeral song over the king of Tyre. Tell him, A Message from God, the Master:

“You had everything going for you.

You were in Eden, God’s garden.

You were dressed in splendor,

your robe studded with jewels:

Carnelian, peridot, and moonstone,

beryl, onyx, and jasper,

Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald,

all in settings of engraved gold.

A robe was prepared for you

the same day you were created.

You were the anointed cherub.

I placed you on the mountain of God.

You strolled in magnificence

among the stones of fire.

From the day of your creation

you were sheer perfection …

and then imperfection—evil!—was detected in you.

In much buying and selling

you turned violent, you sinned!

I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God.

I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub.

No more strolling among the gems of fire for you!

Your beauty went to your head.

You corrupted wisdom

by using it to get worldly fame.

I threw you to the ground,

sent you sprawling before an audience of kings

and let them gloat over your demise.

By sin after sin after sin,

by your corrupt ways of doing business,

you defiled your holy places of worship.

So I set a fire around and within you.

It burned you up. I reduced you to ashes.

All anyone sees now

when they look for you is ashes,

a pitiful mound of ashes.

All who once knew you

now throw up their hands:

‘This can’t have happened!

This has happened!’ ”