1 S end lambs as taxes to the ruler of the land, from Sela by the way of the desert to the mountain of the people of Zion.

You send lambs to the ruler of the land, from Sela or Petra through the desert and wilderness to the mountain of the Daughter of Zion.

2 T hen, like birds driven from their nest, the people of Moab will be where the Arnon River can be crossed.

For like wandering birds, like a brood cast out and a scattered nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the Arnon.

3 “ Give us words of wisdom. Do what is right for us. Make your shadow like night at noonday. Hide those who have been sent away. Do not go against those who are running for their lives.

Give counsel, execute justice; make your shade like night in the midst of noonday; hide the outcasts, betray not the fugitive to his pursuer.

4 L et those of Moab who have been sent away stay with you. Hide them from the one who destroys.” For the one who uses sinful power has come to an end, and trouble has stopped. Those who make it hard for the people have gone from the land.

Let our outcasts of Moab dwell among you; be a sheltered hiding place to them from the destroyer. When the extortion and the extortioner have been brought to nought, and destruction has ceased, and the oppressors and they who trample men are consumed and have vanished out of the land,

5 A throne will be set up in loving-kindness. A faithful judge will sit on it from the family of David. He will be fair as he judges, and will be quick to do what is right and good.

Then in mercy and loving-kindness shall a throne be established, and One shall sit upon it in truth and faithfulness in the tent of David, judging and seeking justice and being swift to do righteousness.

6 W e have heard of the pride of Moab, how very proud he is. We have heard of how proud he is of himself and of his anger. His proud words are false.

We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud—even of his arrogance, his conceit, his wrath, his untruthful boasting.

7 S o Moab will cry out. Everyone of Moab will cry out. You will cry for the dried-grape cakes of Kir-hareseth, as if you were in the worst trouble.

Moab therefore shall wail for Moab; everyone shall wail. For the ruins, flagons of wine, and the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth you shall sigh and mourn, utterly stricken and discouraged.

8 T he fields of Heshbon and the vines of Sibmah have dried up. The lords of the nations have crushed under foot its best vines, which went as far as Jazer and the desert. They spread themselves out and passed over the sea.

For the fields of Heshbon languish and wither, and the vines of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have broken down choice vine branches, which reached even to Jazer, wandering into the wilderness; its shoots stretched out abroad, they passed over the Sea.

9 S o I will cry with much sorrow for Jazer and for the vines of Sibmah. I will make you wet with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh, because there is nothing to gather from your summer fruits.

Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vines of Sibmah. I will drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for upon your summer fruits and your harvest the shout has fallen.

10 H appiness and joy are taken away from the field that gives much fruit. No songs are sung in the grape-fields. No one crushes grapes to make wine, for I have stopped the cry of joy.

And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there is no singing, nor is there joyful sound; the treaders tread out no wine in the presses, for the shout of joy has been made to cease.

11 S o my heart cries with sorrow for Moab like a harp. Inside myself I cry for Kir-hareseth.

Wherefore my heart sounds like a harp for Moab, and my inner being for Kir-hareseth.

12 W hen Moab goes to his high place, he will only become tired. When he goes to his holy place to pray, it will do him no good.

It shall be that when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, he will come to his sanctuary, but he will not prevail.

13 T his is the word which the Lord spoke before about Moab.

This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning Moab since that time.

14 B ut now the Lord says, “In three years, as a servant would count them, the shining-greatness of Moab and all his many people will be hated. And those left alive will be very few and weak.”

But now the Lord has spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be brought into contempt, in spite of all his mighty multitudes of people; and the remnant that survives will be very small, feeble, and of no account.