1Send lambs as tribute to the ruler of the land, ⁵⁹from Sela through the desert, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. ⁶⁰

2The Moabite women at the fords of the Arnon ⁶¹are like birds fluttering around when their nest is destroyed.

3Think about it and make a decision. Make your shadow as invisible at midday as during the night. Hide the refugees; don't betray them as they run away. ⁶²

4Let my refugees stay among you, Moab. ⁶³Hide them from our enemies until the destroyer is no more, the destruction is over, and the aggressive invaders have gone.

5Then a kingdom will be set up based on trustworthy love, and on its throne will sit a faithful king from the line of David. He will judge fairly, and will be passionately committed to doing what is right.

6We know all about the pride of the Moabites, how terribly vain and conceited they are, completely arrogant! But their boasting is false.

7All the Moabites grieve for Moab. They all mourn the loss of the raisin cakes ⁶⁴of Kir-hareseth, all of them destroyed.

8Heshbon's fields have dried up, as have Sibmah's grapevines. The rulers of the nations have trampled down the vines that once branched out to Jazer and east towards the desert, and west as far as the sea.

9So I cry with Jazer for Sibmah's vines; I soak Heshbon and Elealeh with my tears. Nobody shouts in celebration over your summer fruit and your harvest any more.

10Joy and happiness are gone. Nobody celebrates in the harvest fields or the vineyards; nobody shouts happily. Nobody treads grapes in the winepresses. I have stopped their cheering.

11Heartbroken I cry for Moab like sad music on a harp; deep inside I weep for Kir-hareseth.

12The Moabites go and wear themselves out worshiping at their high places. They go to their shrines to pray, but it does them no good.

13This is the message that the Lord has already delivered about Moab.

14But now the Lord speaks again, and says, In three years, just as a contract worker precisely counts years, Moab's glory will turn into something to be laughed at. Despite there being so many Moabites now, soon there will only be a few feeble people left.