Amos 6
1 How disastrous it will be for you who have an easy life in Zion, and you who feel secure living on Mount Samaria—you who are the most famous men in all of Israel to whom people come for help!
Woe to those that are free from care in Zion, and that are in safety on the mount of Samaria, who are named the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!
2 But go to Calneh, and see what took place there. Then go on to the great city of Hamath, and down to the Philistine city of Gath. Were they better kingdoms than yours? Did they have more territory than you?
Pass ye over unto Calneh, and see; and go from there to Chamath-rabbah; then go down to Gath of the Philistines: whether they be better than these kingdoms? or whether their territory be greater than your territory?
3 You put out of your minds any thought of coming disaster, yet you are bringing closer the time when violence reigns.
[Ye] that deem far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;
4 How disastrous it will be for you people who lie on beds decorated with ivory and lounge on couches, eating lamb from your flocks and fattened calves from the stall.
That lie upon beds of ivory, and are stretched out upon their couches, and eat lambs out of the flock, and calves out of the midst of the stall;
5 You make up songs accompanied by the harp, thinking you're great composers like David.
That chant to the sound of the psaltery, and like David's do they imagine their instrument of music to be;
6 You drink wine by the bowlful, and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph's descendants.
That drink out of wine-bowls, and anoint themselves with the costliest of ointments; but who feel no pain for the wound of Joseph.
7 So you will be at the head of those led away into exile; the feasting and lazing around will be over.
Therefore now shall they go into exile at the head of exiles, and the noisy banquet of those that were stretched out shall pass away.
8 The Lord God has sworn an oath on his own life. This is what the Lord God of power declares: I detest Jacob's arrogance and I hate his fortresses; I will hand over this city and all in it to the enemy.
The Lord Eternal hath sworn by his own existence, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the pride of Jacob, and his palaces do I hate: therefore will I surrender up [to the enemy] the city with all that filleth it.
9 If there are ten people in a house, they will die.
And it shall come to pass, that if there remain ten men in one house, they shall die.
10 And when a relative comes to take away the bodies from the house, he will ask someone inside “Is there anyone else with you?” The person will reply, “No...” Then the other will say, “Quiet! Don't even mention the Lord's name.”
And should a man's uncle or relative carry him forth, to bring out the bones out of the house, and say unto him that is in the recesses of the house, Is there yet any one with thee? he will say, There is no one left. Then will he say, Be silent; for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord.
11 Watch out! When the Lord gives the command, large houses will be reduced to rubble, and small houses smashed to pieces.
For, behold, the Lord commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.
12 Can horses gallop over rocks? Can oxen plow the sea? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of doing good into bitterness!
Do horses ever run upon the rock? or will one plough there with oxen? that ye have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood;
13 You joyfully celebrate your conquest of Lodebar, and say “Didn't we in our own strength capture Karnaim?”
Ye who rejoice for a thing of naught, who say, Have we not through our own strength procured ourselves horns?
14 Watch out, people of Israel! I am going to send an enemy nation to attack you, says the Lord God of power, and they will oppress you from the Pass of Hamath to the Arabah Valley.
For, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the Lord the God of hosts, and they shall oppress you from the entrance of Chamath unto the brook of the wilderness.
