Amos 3
1 Heare this worde that the Lord pronounceth against you, O children of Israel, euen against the whole familie which I brought vp from 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 onely haue I knowen of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visite you for 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 Can two walke together except they bee agreed?
Do two walk together unless they agreed to meet?
4 Will a lion roare in ye forest, when he hath no pray? or wil a lions whelpe cry out of his den, if he haue 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 Can a birde fall in a snare vpon the earth, where no fouler is? or will he take vp the snare from the earth, and haue taken nothing at all?
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 Or shall a trumpet be blowen in the citie, and the people be not afraide? or shall there be euil in a citie, and the Lord hath not done it?
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 Surely the Lord God will doe nothing, but he reueileth his secrete vnto his seruantes the Prophets.
Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing his purpose to his servants the prophets.
8 The lyon hath roared: who will not bee afraide? the Lord God hath spoken: who can but prophecie?
The lion has roared; who does not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who will not prophesy?
9 Proclayme in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the lande of Egypt, and saye, Assemble your selues vpon the mountaines of Samaria: so beholde the great tumultes in the middes thereof, and the oppressed in the middes 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 For they knowe not to doe right, sayth the Lord: they store vp violence, and robbery in their palaces.
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, An aduersary shall come euen rounde about the countrey, and shall bring downe thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shalbe spoyled.
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 saieth the Lord, As the shephearde taketh out of the mouth of the lyon two legges, or a piece of an eare: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus, as in a couche.
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 Heare, and testifie in the house of Iaakob, saith the Lord God, the God of hostes.
Listen and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of hosts.
14 Surely in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel vpon him, I wil also visite the altars of Beth-el, and the hornes of the altar shall be broken off, and 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 wil smite the winter house with the sommer house, and the houses of yuorie shall perish, and the great houses shalbe consumed, sayth 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.
