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 saith the Lord GOD: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, of the house of Israel.

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

4 For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel: Seek ye Me, and live;

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

5 But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought.

but do not seek Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and do not pass to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.

6 Seek the LORD, and 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 judgment to wormwood, and cast righteousness to the ground;

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

8 Him that maketh the Pleiades and Orion, and bringeth on the shadow of death in the morning, and darkeneth the day into night; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth; the LORD is His name;

seek him who made Kimah and Kesil, 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 That causeth destruction to flash upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress.

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

10 They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

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

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

Forasmuch therefore as 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 that afflict the just, that take a ransom, and that turn aside the needy in the gate.

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

13 Therefore the prudent doth 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 the LORD, 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 hosts, 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 the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

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

16 Therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: Lamentation shall be in all the broad places, and they shall say in all the streets: 'Alas! alas!' and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and proclaim lamentation to such as are skilful of wailing.

Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: "Wailing will be in all the broad ways; and they will say in all the streets, 'Alas. Alas.' and they will call the farmer to mourning, and those who are skillful in lamentation to wailing.

17 And in all vineyards shall be lamentation; for I will pass through the midst of thee, saith the LORD.

In all vineyards there will be wailing; for I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD.

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! Wherefore would ye have the day of the LORD? 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 did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; and 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 serpent bit him.

20 Shall not the day of the LORD 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 burnt-offerings and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither 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; and let Me not hear the melody of thy psalteries.

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

24 But let justice well up 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 unto Me sacrifices and offerings 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 So shall ye take up Siccuth your king and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship them.

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

Therefore I will exile you beyond Babylon," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.