Isaiah, 16

1. Send the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Sela by the desert, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion,

1. They have sent lambs to the ruler of the land, from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Zion.

2. for soon, like a fluttered bird, like nestlings cast out, will be the women of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.

2. Like fluttering birds, like scattered nestlings, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.

3. Hold a council, make a decision. At noon spread your shadow as if it were night. Hide those who have been driven out, do not betray the fugitive,

3. "Give counsel, grant justice; make your shade like night at the height of noon; hide the outcasts, betray not the fugitive;

4. let those who have been driven out of Moab come and live with you; be their refuge in the face of the devastator. Once the oppression is past, and the devastation has stopped and those now trampling on the country have gone away,

4. let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a refuge to them from the destroyer. When the oppressor is no more, and destruction has ceased, and he who tramples under foot has vanished from the land,

5. the throne will be made secure in faithful love and on it will sit in constancy within the tent of David, a judge seeking fair judgement and pursuing uprightness.

5. then a throne will be established in steadfast love and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness."

6. We have heard about Moab's pride, about how very proud it is, about its arrogance, its pride, its rage, its bravado, which will come to nothing!

6. We have heard of the pride of Moab, how proud he was; of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence -- his boasts are false.

7. And so Moab is wailing for Moab, wailing, every one of them. For the raisin cakes of Kir-Hareseth you mourn, stricken with grief.

7. Therefore let Moab wail, let every one wail for Moab. Mourn, utterly stricken, for the raisin-cakes of Kir-har'eseth.

8. For Heshbon's vineyards are withering, the vine of Sibmah whose red grapes used to overcome the overlords of the nations. It used to reach to Jazer, had wound its way into the desert, its shoots grew so numerous they spread across the sea.

8. For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have struck down its branches, which reached to Jazer and strayed to the desert; its shoots spread abroad and passed over the sea.

9. And so I weep, as Jazer weeps, for the vine of Sibmah. I water you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh. For over your harvest and vintage the cheering has died away;

9. Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Ele-a'leh; for upon your fruit and your harvest the battle shout has fallen.

10. joy and gladness have vanished from the orchards. No more revelry in the vineyards, no more happy shouting; no more the treader treads wine in the presses, the cheering has ceased.

10. And joy and gladness are taken away from the fruitful field; and in the vineyards no songs are sung, no shouts are raised; no treader treads out wine in the presses; the vintage shout is hushed.

11. That is why my whole being quivers like harp strings for Moab, my very heart, for Kir-Heres.

11. Therefore my soul moans like a lyre for Moab, and my heart for Kir-he'res.

12. Moab will be seen, wearing itself out on the high places and going to its temple to pray, but it will accomplish nothing.

12. And when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself upon the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail.

13. Such was the word which Yahweh spoke about Moab in the past.

13. This is the word which the LORD spoke concerning Moab in the past.

14. And now Yahweh has spoken in these terms, 'Within three years, as a hired worker reckons them, the glory of Moab will be humbled, despite its teeming population. It will be reduced to nothing, an insignificant remnant.'

14. But now the LORD says, "In three years, like the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, in spite of all his great multitude, and those who survive will be very few and feeble."