1 The word about Moab. For in a night Ar of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer; for in a night Kir of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer.

2 The daughter of Dibon has gone up to the high places, weeping: Moab is sounding her cry of sorrow over Nebo, and over Medeba: everywhere the hair of the head and of the face is cut off.

3 In their streets they are covering themselves with haircloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their public places, there is crying and bitter weeping.

4 Heshbon is crying out, and Elealeh; their voice is sounding even to Jahaz: for this cause the heart of Moab is shaking; his soul is shaking with fear.

5 My heart is crying out for Moab; her people go in flight to Zoar, and to Eglath-shelishiyah: for they go up with weeping by the slope of Luhith; on the way to Horonaim they send up a cry of destruction.

6 The waters of Nimrim will become dry: for the grass is burned up, the young grass is coming to an end, every green thing is dead.

7 For this cause they will take away their wealth, and the stores they have got together, over the stream of the water-plants.

8 For the cry has gone round the limits of Moab; as far as to Eglaim and Beer-elim.

9 For the waters of Dimon are full of blood: and I'm sending even more on Moab, a lion on those of Moab who go in flight, and on the rest of the land.

1 Utsagn om Moab. Ja, i en natt blir Ar-Moab ødelagt, gjort til intet; ja, i en natt blir Kir-Moab ødelagt, gjort til intet.

2 De stiger op til huset* og til Dibon på offerhaugene for å gråte; på Nebo og på Medeba skal Moab hyle; hvert hode er skallet, hvert skjegg avskåret. / {* avgudstemplet.}

3 På dets gater binder de sekk om sig; på dets tak og på dets streder skal alle hyle og la sine tårer strømme.

4 Hesbon og El'ale skriker så det høres like til Jahas; derfor klager Moabs krigsmenn, Moabs sjel skjelver.

5 Mitt hjerte klager over Moab, dets flyktninger kommer like til Soar, den treårige kvige; for de går gråtende opover bakken til Luhit, på veien til Horona'im løfter de klagerop over ødeleggelsen.

6 Nimrims vann blir til ørkener, gresset tørker bort, med urtene er det forbi, det finnes ikke mere et grønt strå.

7 Derfor bærer de det som de har samlet sammen, sitt opsparte gods, over Vidjebekken*. / {* Moabs sydgrense.}

8 Ja, klagerop lyder rundt omkring i Moabs land; like til Egla'im når dets hyl, og til Be'er-Elim;

9 for Dimons vann er fulle av blod. Ja, jeg vil la ennu mere komme over Dimon - en løve skal falle over de undkomne av Moab, over levningen i landet.