Amos 6

1 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!

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 Go to Calneh, and see. From there go to Hamath the great. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms? Is their border greater than your border?

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 Alas for you who put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near,

[Ye] that deem far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

4 who lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the middle of 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 who strum on the strings of a harp, who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;

That chant to the sound of the psaltery, and like David's do they imagine their instrument of music to be;

6 who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best oils, but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

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 Therefore they will now go captive with the first who go captive. The feasting and lounging will end.

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 by himself,” says the LORD, the God of Armies: “I abhor the pride of Jacob, and detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.

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 It will happen that if ten men remain in one house, they will die.

And it shall come to pass, that if there remain ten men in one house, they shall die.

10 “When a man’s relative carries him, even he who burns him, to bring bodies out of the house, and asks him who is in the innermost parts of the house, ‘Is there yet any with you?’ And he says, ‘No;’ then he will say, ‘Hush! Indeed we must not 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 “For, behold, the LORD commands, and the great house will be smashed to pieces, and the little house into bits.

For, behold, the Lord commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

12 Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness 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 who rejoice in a thing of nothing, who say, ‘Haven’t we taken for ourselves horns by our own strength?’

Ye who rejoice for a thing of naught, who say, Have we not through our own strength procured ourselves horns?

14 For, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, house of Israel,” says the LORD, the God of Armies; “and they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of the Arabah.”

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.