More troubles for Moab

1Send lambs16.1 lambs: The main product of Moab. as gifts

to the ruler of the land.

Send them across the desert

from Sela16.1 Sela: A town in Edom. to Mount Zion.

2The women of Moab

crossing the River Arnon

are like a flock of birds

scattered from their nests.

3Moab's messengers say

to the people of Judah,

“Be kind and help us!

Shade us from the heat

of the noonday sun.

Hide our refugees!

Don't turn them away.

4Let our people live

in your country

and find safety here.”

Moab, your cruel enemies

will disappear;

they will no longer attack

and destroy your land.

5Then a kingdom of love

will be set up,

and someone from David's family

will rule with fairness.

He will do what is right

and quickly bring justice.

Moab's pride is destroyed

6We have heard of Moab's pride.

Its people strut and boast,

but without reason.

7Tell everyone in Moab

to mourn for their nation.

Tell them to cry and weep

for those fine raisins16.7 fine raisins: The Hebrew text has “raisin-cakes”, which could mean either the rich produce or the prosperous farmers.

of Kir-Hareseth.

8Vineyards near Heshbon

and Sibmah

have turned brown.

The rulers of nations

used to get drunk

on wine from those vineyards16.8 The rulers…vineyards: Or “The rulers of nations have destroyed those vineyards.”

that spread to Jazer,

then across the desert

and beyond the sea.

9Now I mourn like Jazer

for the vineyards

of Sibmah.

I shed tears for Heshbon

and for Elealeh.

There will be no more

harvest celebrations

10or joyful and happy times,

while bringing in the crops.

Singing and shouting are gone

from the vineyards.

There are no joyful shouts

where grapes were pressed.

God has silenced them all.

11Deep in my heart I suffer

for Moab and Kir-Heres.

12It's useless for Moab's people

to wear themselves out

by going to their altars

to worship and pray.

13The LORD has already said all this about Moab. 14Now he says, “The contract of a hired worker is good for three years, but Moab's glory and greatness won't last any longer than that. Only a few of its people will survive, and they will be left helpless.”