以賽亞書16:1-14

16:1 你們當將羊羔奉給那地掌權的，從西拉往曠野，送到錫安城（原文是女子）的山。
16:2 摩押的居民（原文是女子）在亞嫩渡口，必像遊飛的鳥，如拆窩的雛。
16:3 求你獻謀略，行公平，使你的影子在午間如黑夜，隱藏被趕散的人，不可顯露逃民。
16:4 求你容我這被趕散的人和你同居。至於摩押，求你作他的隱密處，脫離滅命者的面。勒索人的歸於無有，毀滅的事止息了，欺壓人的從國中除滅了，
16:5 必有寶座因慈愛堅立；必有一位誠誠實實坐在其上，在大衛帳幕中施行審判，尋求公平，速行公義。
16:6 我們聽說摩押人驕傲，是極其驕傲；聽說他狂妄、驕傲、忿怒；他誇大的話是虛空的。
16:7 因此，摩押人必為摩押哀號；人人都要哀號。你們摩押人要為吉珥‧哈列設的葡萄餅哀歎，極其憂傷。
16:8 因為希實本的田地和西比瑪的葡萄樹都衰殘了。列國的君主折斷其上美好的枝子；這枝子長到雅謝延到曠野，嫩枝向外探出，直探過鹽海。
16:9 因此，我要為西比瑪的葡萄樹哀哭，與雅謝人哀哭一樣。希實本、以利亞利啊，我要以眼淚澆灌你；因為有交戰吶喊的聲音臨到你夏天的果子，並你收割的莊稼。
16:10 從肥美的田中奪去了歡喜快樂；在葡萄園裡必無歌唱，也無歡呼的聲音。踹酒的在酒醡中不得踹出酒來；我使他歡呼的聲音止息。
16:11 因此，我心腹為摩押哀鳴如琴；我心腸為吉珥‧哈列設也是如此。
16:12 摩押人朝見的時候，在高處疲乏，又到他聖所祈禱，也不蒙應允。
16:13 這是耶和華從前論摩押的話。
16:14 但現在耶和華說：「三年之內，照雇工的年數，摩押的榮耀與他的群眾必被藐視，餘剩的人甚少無幾。」

Send lambs

to the ruler of the land,

from Sela, by way of the desert,

to the mount of daughter Zion.

2

Like fluttering birds,

like scattered nestlings,

so are the daughters of Moab

at the fords of the Arnon.

3

“Give counsel,

grant justice;

make your shade like night

at the height of noon;

hide the outcasts,

do not betray the fugitive;

4

let the outcasts of Moab

settle among you;

be a refuge to them

from the destroyer.”

When the oppressor is no more,

and destruction has ceased,

and marauders have vanished from the land,

5

then a throne shall be established in steadfast love

in the tent of David,

and on it shall sit in faithfulness

a ruler who seeks justice

and is swift to do what is right.

6

We have heard of the pride of Moab

—how proud he is!—

of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence;

his boasts are false.

7

Therefore let Moab wail,

let everyone wail for Moab.

Mourn, utterly stricken,

for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.

8

For the fields of Heshbon languish,

and the vines of Sibmah,

whose clusters once made drunk

the lords of the nations,

reached to Jazer

and strayed to the desert;

their shoots once spread abroad

and crossed over the sea.

9

Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer

for the vines of Sibmah;

I drench you with my tears,

O Heshbon and Elealeh;

for the shout over your fruit harvest

and your grain harvest has ceased.

10

Joy and gladness are taken away

from the fruitful field;

and in the vineyards no songs are sung,

no shouts are raised;

no treader treads out wine in the presses;

the vintage-shout is hushed.

11

Therefore my heart throbs like a harp for Moab,

and my very soul for Kir-heres.

¹² When Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself upon the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail.

¹³ This was the word that the Lord spoke concerning Moab in the past. ¹⁴But now the Lord says, In three years, like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, in spite of all its great multitude; and those who survive will be very few and feeble.

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    摩押本來有機會獲得拯救，後來卻失去這樣基會的緣故是甚麼呢？就是先知所說：「我們聽說摩押人驕傲，是極其驕傲；聽說他狂妄、驕傲、忿怒；他誇大的話是虛空的。」

    他們為甚麼驕傲呢？因為先知向摩押人宣告：「至於摩押，求你作他的隱密處，脫離滅命者的面。勒索人的歸於無有，毀滅的事止息了，欺壓人的從國中除滅了，必有寶座因慈愛堅立；必有一位誠誠實實坐在其上，在大衛帳幕中施行審判，尋求公平，速行公義。」

    先知這樣說是要摩押人悔改歸向上帝，並尊重上帝所設立的猶大王朝。但是，他們沒有！之所以沒有，就是他們仍然以自我為中心，不願意尊耶和華為大。其實，在教會中作威作福的人，就是一些高傲的人，他們表面上是基督徒，內心仍然是以自我作中心。

    同樣，人不願意透過耶穌基督與上帝和好，企圖以自己的善行，來做得救的根據，就容易有老資格的自傲，來作威作福！這是與上帝的旨意相違背的，是與上帝為敵，若不悔改，終有一天會敗亡的！