Amos 5

1 Hear ye this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel.

Listen to this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel:

2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise. She is cast down upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

“The virgin of Israel has fallen; She shall rise no more. She is cast down on her land; there is no one to raise her up.”

3 For thus says the lord Jehovah: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel.

For the Lord GOD says: “The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went out one hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel.”

4 For thus says Jehovah to the house of Israel: Seek ye me, and ye shall live.

For the LORD says to the house of Israel: “Seek me, and you will live;

5 But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba. For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to naught.

but don’t seek Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and don’t pass to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.

6 Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.

Seek the LORD, and you will live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be no one to quench it in Bethel.

7 Ye who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth,

You who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth!

8 seek him who makes the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night, who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth (Jehovah is his name),

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name,

9 who brings sudden destruction upon the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

who brings sudden destruction on the strong, so that destruction comes on the fortress.

10 They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks uprightly.

They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks blamelessly.

11 Inasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions of wheat from him. Ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them. Ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink the wine thereof.

Therefore, because you trample on the poor and take taxes from him of wheat, you have built houses of cut stone, but you will not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.

12 For I know how manifold are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins-ye who afflict the just man, who take a bribe, and who turn aside the needy in the gate.

For I know how many are your offences, and how great are your sins— you who afflict the just, who take a bribe, and who turn away the needy in the courts.

13 Therefore he who is prudent shall keep silence in such a time, for it is an evil time.

Therefore a prudent person keeps silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live, and so Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say.

Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of Armies, will be with you, as you say.

15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate. It may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the courts. It may be that the LORD, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”

16 Therefore thus says Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: Wailing shall be in all the broad ways. And they shall say in all the streets, Alas! Alas! And they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentation to wailing.

Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies, the Lord, says: “Wailing will be in all the wide ways. They will say in all the streets, ‘Alas! Alas!’ They will call the farmer to mourning, and those who are skilful in lamentation to wailing.

17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing, for I will pass through the midst of thee, says Jehovah.

In all vineyards there will be wailing, for I will pass through the middle of you,” says the LORD.

18 Woe to you who desire the day of Jehovah! Why would ye have the day of Jehovah? It is darkness, and not light.

“Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light.

19 As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or he went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a snake bit him.

20 Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light, even very dark, and no brightness in it?

Won’t the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?

21 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can’t stand your solemn assemblies.

22 Yea, though ye offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

Yes, though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals.

23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs, for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

Take away from me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

24 But let justice roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

25 Did ye bring sacrifices and offerings to me in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, house of Israel?

26 Yea, ye have borne the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, your images which ye made to yourselves.

You also carried the tent of your king and the shrine of your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves.

27 Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, says Jehovah, whose name is the God of hosts.

Therefore I will cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of Armies.