How can you men of Moab say, ‘We are heroes, men who are mighty in battle?’

נ (Nun) Let us carefully examine our ways, ¹  and let us return to the Lord.

We are pursued – they are breathing down our necks; ¹  we are weary and have no rest. ² 

Our forefathers ¹  sinned and are dead, ²  but we ³  suffer ⁴  their punishment. ⁵ 

Later, ¹  the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ ² 

What then should we do? They will no doubt ¹  hear that you have come.

As a result, ¹  death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. ² 

in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, ¹  in troubles, ²  in sleepless nights, in hunger,

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the sake of the truth.

Nevertheless, let us live up to the standard ¹  that we have already attained. ² 

The men of Judah said, “Why are you attacking ¹  us?” The Philistines ²  said, “We have come up to take Samson prisoner so we can do to him what he has done to us.”

Then the Benjaminites said, “They are defeated just as before.” But the Israelites said, “Let’s retreat ¹  and lure them ²  away from the city into the main roads.”

But as for us, the Lord is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron’s descendants serve as the Lord’s priests and the Levites assist them with the work. ¹ 

Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us! We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.” ¹ 

I responded to them by saying, “The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding. ¹  But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.” ² 

we will not hide from their ¹  descendants. We will tell the next generation about the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, ²  about his strength and the amazing things he has done.

“This is what Hezekiah says: ¹  ‘This is a day of distress, insults, ²  and humiliation, ³  as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through. ⁴ 

For this reason deliverance ¹  is far from us ²  and salvation does not reach us. We wait for light, ³  but see only darkness; ⁴  we wait for ⁵  a bright light, ⁶  but live ⁷  in deep darkness. ⁸ 

We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. ¹  We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind.

For the sound of wailing is soon to be heard in Zion. They will wail, ¹  ‘We are utterly ruined! ²  We are completely disgraced! For our houses have been torn down and we must leave our land.’” ³