Isaiah 16
to the ruler of the land,
from Sela,h across the desert,
to the mount of Daughter Zion.i
pushed from the nest,j
so are the women of Moabk
3 “Make up your mind,” Moab says.
“Render a decision.
Make your shadow like night—
at high noon.
Hide the fugitives,n
do not betray the refugees.
4 Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you;
be their sheltero from the destroyer.”
The oppressorp will come to an end,
and destruction will cease;q
the aggressor will vanish from the land.
5 In love a throner will be established;s
in faithfulness a man will sit on it—
one from the housea of Davidt—
one who in judging seeks justiceu
and speeds the cause of righteousness.
6 We have heard of Moab’sv pridew—
how great is her arrogance!—
of her conceit, her pride and her insolence;
but her boasts are empty.
7 Therefore the Moabites wail,x
they wail together for Moab.
Lament and grieve
for the raisin cakesy of Kir Hareseth.z
8 The fields of Heshbona wither,b
the vines of Sibmahc also.
The rulers of the nations
have trampled down the choicest vines,d
which once reached Jazere
and spread toward the desert.
Their shoots spread outf
and went as far as the sea.b g
9 So I weep,h as Jazer weeps,
for the vines of Sibmah.
Heshbon and Elealeh,i
I drench you with tears!j
The shouts of joyk over your ripened fruit
and over your harvestsl have been stilled.
10 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards;m
no one sings or shoutsn in the vineyards;
no one treadso out wine at the presses,p
for I have put an end to the shouting.
11 My heart laments for Moabq like a harp,r
my inmost beings for Kir Hareseth.
12 When Moab appears at her high place,t
she only wears herself out;
when she goes to her shrineu to pray,
it is to no avail.v
13 This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab. 14 But now the Lord says: “Within three years,w as a servant bound by contractx would count them,y Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised,z and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”a