For I eat ashes as if they were bread, ¹  and mix my drink with my tears, ² 

He wept loudly; ¹  the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. ² 

In their streets they wear sackcloth; on their roofs and in their town squares all of them wail, they fall down weeping.

So I weep along with Jazer ¹  over the vines of Sibmah. I will saturate you ²  with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh, for the conquering invaders shout triumphantly over your fruit and crops. ³ 

So I say: “Don’t look at me! ¹  I am weeping bitterly. Don’t try ²  to console me concerning the destruction of my defenseless people.” ³ 

Indeed they will climb the slopes of Luhith, weeping continually as they go. ¹  For on the road down to Horonaim they will hear the cries of distress over the destruction. ² 

My heart cries out because of Moab’s plight, ¹  and for the fugitives ²  stretched out ³  as far as Zoar and Eglath Shelishiyah. For they weep as they make their way up the ascent of Luhith; they loudly lament their demise on the road to Horonaim. ⁴ 

They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. ¹  I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. ²  I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim ³  is my firstborn son.’”