Read the Bible

¹ Send lambs^[a] as gifts
    to the ruler of the land.
Send them across the desert
    from Sela^[b] to Mount Zion.
² The women of Moab
    crossing the Arnon River
are like a flock of birds
    scattered from their nests.
³ Moab'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.
⁴ Let 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.
⁵ Then 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.

⁶ We have heard of Moab's pride.
Its people strut and boast,
    but without reason.
⁷ Tell everyone in Moab
    to mourn for their nation.
Tell them to cry and weep
for those fancy raisins^[c]
    of Kir-Hareseth.

⁸ Vineyards near Heshbon
and Sibmah
    have turned brown.
The rulers of nations
    used to get drunk
on wine
from those vineyards^[d]
    that spread to Jazer,
then across the desert
    and beyond the sea.

⁹ Now I mourn like Jazer
for the vineyards
    of Sibmah.
I shed tears for Heshbon
    and for Elealeh.
There will be no more
    harvest celebrations
¹⁰ or 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.

¹¹ Deep in my heart I hurt
    for Moab and Kir-Heres.
¹² It's useless for Moab's people
    to wear themselves out
by going to their altars
    to worship and pray.