Amos 3
1 Hear ye this word, which Yahweh hath spoken, concerning you, ye sons of Israel, —concerning the whole family which 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 Only you, have I acknowledged, of all the families of the ground, For this cause, 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 Can two walk together, —except they meet?
Do two walk together unless they agreed to meet?
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when, prey, he hath none? Will a young lion utter his voice out of his den, when he hath made no capture?
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 a bird fall upon a net to the earth, when there is no, snare, for it? Will a net rise from the ground, when it hath, captured nothing?
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 a horn be blown in a city, and, a people, not tremble? Or calamity happen in a city, and, Yahweh, not have wrought with effect?
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 My Lord Yahweh, will do, nothing, —except he have disclosed his secret unto his servants, the prophets!
Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing his purpose to his servants the prophets.
8 A lion, hath roared, Who will not fear? My Lord Yahweh, hath spoken, Who can forbear to prophesy?
The lion has roared; who does not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who will not prophesy?
9 Announce it over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, —and say ye—Gather yourselves together upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold ye—the great disorders in the midst thereof, and the oppressed within her.
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 Therefore do they not know how to do right, Declareth Yahweh, who are treasuring up violence and spoil 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 My Lord, Yahweh, An adversary! Yea round about the land, —and he who shall bring down, from thee, thy strength, And spoiled shall be thy palaces.
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 Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch.
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 bear witness, throughout the house of Jacob, —Commandeth My Lord, Yahweh, God of hosts:
Listen and testify against the house of Jacob, says the Lord God, the God of hosts.
14 That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they 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 smite the winter house along with the summer house, —and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.
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.
