The Destruction of Moab
1 This is what the Lord Almighty said about Moab:
“Pity the people of Nebo—
their town is destroyed!
Kiriathaim is captured,
its mighty fortress torn down,
and its people put to shame;
2 the splendor of Moab is gone.
The enemy have captured Heshbon
and plot to destroy the nation of Moab.
The town of Madmen will be silenced;
armies will march against it.
3 The people of Horonaim cry out,
‘Violence! Destruction!’
4 “Moab has been destroyed;
listen to the children crying.
5 Hear the sound of their sobs
along the road up to Luhith,
the cries of distress
on the way down to Horonaim.
6 ‘Quick, run for your lives!’ they say.
‘Run like a wild desert donkey!’
7 “Moab, you trusted in your strength and your wealth,
but now even you will be conquered;
your god Chemosh will go into exile,
along with his princes and priests.
8 Not a town will escape the destruction;
both valley and plain will be ruined.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
9 Set up a tombstone for Moab;
it will soon be destroyed.
Its towns will be left in ruins,
and no one will live there again.”
( 10 Curse those who do not do the Lord's work with all their heart! Curse those who do not slash and kill!)
The Cities of Moab Are Destroyed
11 The Lord said, “Moab has always lived secure and has never been taken into exile. Moab is like wine left to settle undisturbed and never poured from jar to jar. Its flavor has never been ruined, and it tastes as good as ever.
12 “So now, the time is coming when I will send people to pour Moab out like wine. They will empty its wine jars and break them in pieces. 13 Then the Moabites will be disillusioned with their god Chemosh, just as the Israelites were disillusioned with Bethel, a god in whom they trusted.
14 “Men of Moab, why do you claim to be heroes,
brave soldiers tested in war?
15 Moab and its cities are destroyed;
its finest young men have been slaughtered.
I am the king, the Lord Almighty,
and I have spoken.
16 Moab's doom approaches;
its ruin is coming soon.
17 “Mourn for that nation, you that live nearby,
all of you that know its fame.
Say, ‘Its powerful rule has been broken;
its glory and might are no more.’
18 You that live in Dibon,
come down from your place of honor
and sit on the ground in the dust;
Moab's destroyer is here
and has left its forts in ruins.
19 You that live in Aroer,
stand by the road and wait;
ask those who are running away,
find out from them what has happened.
20 ‘Moab has fallen,’ they will answer,
‘weep for it; it is disgraced.
Announce along the Arnon River
that Moab is destroyed!’
21 “Judgment has come on the cities of the plateau: on Holon, Jahzah, Mephaath, 22 Dibon, Nebo, Beth Diblathaim, 23 Kiriathaim, Bethgamul, Bethmeon, 24 Kerioth, and Bozrah. Judgment has come on all the cities of Moab, far and near. 25 Moab's might has been crushed; its power has been destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Moab Will Be Humbled
26 The Lord said, “Make Moab drunk, because it has rebelled against me. Moab will roll in its own vomit, and people will laugh. 27 Moab, remember how you made fun of the people of Israel? You treated them as though they had been caught with a gang of robbers.
28 “You people who live in Moab, leave your towns! Go and live on the cliffs! Be like the dove that makes its nest in the sides of a ravine. 29 Moab is very proud! I have heard how proud, arrogant, and conceited the people are, how much they think of themselves. 30 I, the Lord, know of their arrogance. Their boasts amount to nothing, and the things they do will not last. 31 And so I will weep for everyone in Moab and for the people of Kir Heres. 32 I will cry for the people of Sibmah, even more than for the people of Jazer. City of Sibmah, you are like a vine whose branches reach across the Dead Sea and go as far as Jazer. But now your summer fruits and your grapes have been destroyed. 33 Happiness and joy have been taken away from the fertile land of Moab. I have made the wine stop flowing from the wine presses; there is no one to make the wine and shout for joy.
34 “The people of Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, and their cry can be heard as far as Jahaz; it can be heard by the people in Zoar, and it is heard as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah. Even Nimrim Brook has dried up. 35 I will stop the people of Moab from making burnt offerings at their places of worship and from offering sacrifices to their gods. I, the Lord, have spoken.
36 “So my heart mourns for Moab and for the people of Kir Heres, like someone playing a funeral song on a flute, because everything they owned is gone. 37 All of them have shaved their heads and cut off their beards. They have all made gashes on their hands, and everyone is wearing sackcloth. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in all its public squares there is nothing but mourning, because I have broken Moab like a jar that no one wants. 39 Moab has been shattered! Cry out! Moab has been disgraced. It is in ruins, and all the surrounding nations make fun of it. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
No Escape for Moab
40 The Lord has promised that a nation will swoop down on Moab like an eagle with its outspread wings, 41 and the towns and fortresses will be captured. On that day Moab's soldiers will be as frightened as a woman in labor. 42 Moab will be destroyed and will no longer be a nation, because it rebelled against me. 43 Terror, pits, and traps are waiting for the people of Moab. The Lord has spoken. 44 Whoever tries to escape the terror will fall into the pits, and whoever climbs out of the pits will be caught in the traps, because the Lord has set the time for Moab's destruction. 45 Helpless refugees try to find protection in Heshbon, the city that King Sihon once ruled, but it is in flames. Fire has burned up the frontiers and the mountain heights of the war-loving people of Moab. 46 Pity the people of Moab! The people who worshiped Chemosh have been destroyed, and their sons and daughters have been taken away as prisoners.
47 But in days to come the Lord will make Moab prosperous again. All of this is what the Lord has said will happen to Moab.
Vēstījums par Moābu
1 Par Moābu. Tā saka Pulku Kungs, Israēla Dievs:
“Vai! Nebo, jo nopostīta!
Apkaunota un ieņemta Kirjataima,
apkaunots un sagrauts cietoksnis!
2 Vairs nav Moāba slavas!
Hešbonā viņi lēma tam ļaunu:
iesim un iznīdēsim, lai vairs nav tauta! –
Arī tu, Madmēna, apklusīsi,
tev pakaļ ies zobens!
3 No Horonaimas kliedz:
delde un milzu posts!
4 Satriekts Moābs,
viņa jaunekļiem tie lika kliegt!
5 Luhītas kalnu pārejā
ar raudām kāpj raudādami,
Horonaimas nogāzēs
naidnieki dzirdēja posta klaigas!
6 Skrejiet, dzīvību glābiet,
kļūstiet kā tuksneša saušļi, –
7 tu paļāvies
uz paša darbiem un dārgumiem,
bet ieņems arī tevi!
Kemošu aizvedīs trimdā
kopā ar priesteriem, augstmaņiem!
8 Pār katru pilsētu postītājs nāks,
ne pilsēta neglābsies,
ieleju izdeldēs,
un iznīcinās līdzenumu –
kā teica Kungs.
9 Dodiet Moābam spārnus,
lai laižas prom!
Viņa pilsētas kļūs par postažu,
kur neviens nemīt!
10 Nolādēts tas,
kas Kunga darbu dara nevīžīgi,
nolādēts tas,
kas savu zobenu no asinīm attur!
11 Bez bēdu Moābs kopš jaunības
un dusēja kā vīna raugs –
no trauka traukā to nelēja,
trimdā viņš negāja!
Tādēļ tam sava garša
un smarža nav mainījusies!
12 Redzi, tādēļ nāk dienas, saka Kungs, es uzsūtīšu viņam gāzējus, tie viņu piešķiebs un iztukšos viņa traukus, un izlies viņa krūkas! 13 Paliks kaunā Moābs ar Kemošu, kā palika kaunā Israēla nams ar Bēteli, uz ko tas paļāvās.
14 Kā jūs varat teikt:
mēs – varoņi un varonīgi karavīri kaujā! –
15 Taču izdeldēts Moābs
un viņa pilsētas!
Viņa labākie jaunekļi
uz slaktiņu nogājuši,
saka Ķēniņš, Pulku Kungs ir viņa vārds.
16 Tuvu Moāba liksta,
un viņa ļaunums jo steidz!
17 Cietiet tam līdzi
visi, kas apkārt,
visi, kas zināt viņa vārdu,
sakiet: ak, kā satriekts spēka scepteris,
rotātais zizlis!
18 Nāc zemē no godības,
smilšainē sēdies,
mītniece, Dībonas meita!
Jo Moāba postītājs nācis pār tevi,
sagrāvis tavus mūrus!
19 Stājies ceļā un glūni,
Aroēras iemītniece,
prasi bēglim un tam, kas paglābies,
saki: kas notika?!
20 Apkaunots Moābs, jo satriekts, –
kauciet un kliedziet,
stāstiet Arnonā,
ka nopostīts Moābs!
21 Spriedums nāca pār klajumu zemi – pār Holonu, pār Jahacu, pār Mēfaatu, 22 pār Dībonu, pār Nebo, pār Bēt-Diblataimu, 23 pār Kirjataimu, pār Bēt-Gāmūlu, pār Bēt-Meonu, 24 pār Kerījotu, pār Bocru, pār visām Moāba zemes pilsētām, tālām un tuvām!
25 Aplauzts Moāba rags,
un viņa elkonis satriekts,
saka Kungs.
26 Piedzirdi viņu, jo par pašu Kungu šis taisījās lielāks – rīstīsies Moābs paša vēmekļos, kļūs par apsmieklu arī viņš! 27 Vai Israēls tev nebija apsmiekls? Vai kopā ar zagļiem tika pieķerts? Cik vien par viņu tu runāji, tik tu ņirdzi!
28 Pametiet pilsētas un mītiet klintīs,
Moāba iemītnieki!
Esiet kā dūjas
un ligzdojiet klinšu plaisās!
29 Mēs dzirdējām Moāba lepnību –
jo lepns šis! –
uzpūtību, lepnību, iedomību
un sirds augstprātību!
30 Es pazīstu, saka Kungs, viņa tukšo uzpūtību un tukšās pļāpas. 31 Tādēļ es kaukšu par Moābu, par visu Moābu es kliegšu, un Kīr-Heresas vīriem es uzrūkšu!
32 Par tevi es raudāšu
vairāk nekā par Jaazēru,
Sibmas vīnakoks!
Tavas stīgas sniedzās līdz jūrai,
līdz Jaazērai stiepās!
Taviem augļiem un vīnam
nu uzkritis postītājs!
33 Atņemts prieks un līksme
gan vīnadārziem, gan Moāba zemei!
Kublos mitējies vīns,
neviens vairs vīnspaidu nemin
ar priecīgām klaigām,
priecīgās klaigas
vairs nav priecīgas klaigas!
34 Hešbonā kliedz līdz Elālei, līdz Jahacai, liek atskanēt balsij no Coaras līdz Horonaimai, līdz Eglat-Šelīšijai, jo pat Nimrīmas ūdeņi par tuksnesi kļuvuši! 35 Es darīšu galu Moābam, saka Kungs, viņš upurē augstienēs un kvēpina savam dievam! 36 Tādēļ mana sirds par Moābu īd kā sēru stabule, un mana sirds īd kā sēru stabule arī par Kīr-Heresas vīriem, jo zudis ir tas, ko tie bija atlicinājuši. 37 Ik galva noskūta kaila, ik bārda apcirpta, ik rokas agraizītas, un maiss uz gurniem! 38 Uz visiem Moāba jumtiem un visās ielās – visur vaimanas, jo es satriecu Moābu kā trauku, kas nerūp nevienam, saka Kungs. 39 Redzi, kā viņi sakauti kauc! Kā griež muguru Moābs! Kauns! Moābs tapis par apsmieklu un sagrāvi visiem, kas ir ap viņu.
40 Jo tā saka Kungs:
redzi, kā ērglis viņš laidīsies
un izpletīs spārnus pār Moābu!
41 Viņa pilsētas tiks ieņemtas,
viņa nocietinājumi tiks sagrābti,
un todien Moāba varoņu sirds
būs kā sievas sirds radībās!
42 Moābs tiks iznīcināts, nebūs vairs tautas,
jo pret Kungu viņš taisījās liels!
43 Briesmas, bedre un lamatas tev,
Moāba iemītniece! –
saka Kungs.
44 Kas bēg no briesmām,
iekritīs bedrē,
un, kas izrāpsies no bedres,
to lamatās noķers –
to es Moābam darīšu
viņa piemeklēšanas gadā! –
saka Kungs.
45 Hešbonas ēnā tie stāj,
bez spēka bēguši,
jo no Hešbonas uguns iet
un liesma no Sīhona nama,
tā aprija Moāba deniņus
un bļaura dēlu paurus!
46 Vai tev, Moāb!
Izdeldēti Kemoša ļaudis –
tavi dēli paņemti gūstā,
un tavas meitas nebrīvē!
47 Bet es atvedīšu atpakaļ Moāba gūstekņus
nākamās dienās,
saka Kungs,
bet līdz tam – Moābam tiesa!”
