Amos 3
1 Hear the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O ye children of Israel: concerning the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying:
Listen to this message, Israelites, which the Lord has spoken against you, against the whole nation that I brought out of Egypt:
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.
You alone have I cared for of all the nations of the world, this is why I will punish you for your crimes.
3 Shall two walk together except they be agreed?
Do two walk together unless they agreed to meet?
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, if he have no prey? will the lion’s whelp cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
Does a lion roar in the forest when there is no prey for him? Does a young lion cry out in his den unless he has caught something?
5 Will the bird fall into the snare upon the earth, if there be no fowler? Shall the snare be taken up from the earth, before it hath taken somewhat?
Does a bird swoop down into a trap if no bait is set for it? Does a trap spring up from the ground if nothing sets it off?
6 Shall the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?
Can a trumpet be blown in a city and the people not tremble? Can disaster strike a city and the Lord not have caused it?
7 For the Lord God doth nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing his purpose to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion shall roar, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who shall not prophesy?
The lion has roared; who does not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who will not prophesy?
9 Publish it in the houses of Azotus, and in the houses of the land of Egypt, and say: Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the many follies in the midst thereof, and them that suffer oppression in the inner rooms thereof.
Proclaim over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt: Gather upon the mountain of Samaria, and see the violent turmoil, the acts of oppression in her midst.
10 And they have not known to do the right thing, saith the Lord, storing up iniquity, and robberies in their houses.
For they do not know how to do right. They are heaping up violence and oppression in their palaces, says the Lord.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: The land shall be in tribulation, and shall be compassed about: and thy strength shall be taken away from thee, and thy houses shall be spoiled.
Therefore the Lord God says: An enemy will surround the land, he will strip your strength from you. and your palaces will be looted.
12 Thus saith the Lord: As if a shepherd should get out of the lion’s mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in a piece of a bed, and in the couch of Damascus.
The Lord says: Just as a shepherd rescues from the jaws of a lion two shinbones or a piece of an ear, so the Israelites living in Sameria will be rescued – with the corner of a couch, and the damask of a divan!
13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord the God of hosts:
Listen and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of hosts.
14 That in the day when I shall begin to visit the transgressions of Israel, I will visit upon him, and upon the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altars shall be cut off, and shall fall to the ground.
On the day when I punish Israel for their crimes, I will also visit in judgment the altars of Bethel, the horns of the altar will be hacked off, and they will fall to the ground.
15 And I will strike the winter house with the summer house: and the houses of ivory shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed, saith the Lord.
I will destroy the winter houses together with the summer houses and the houses of ivory will perish. Many great houses will be swept away, says the Lord.
