Amos 5:10–24

^10wThey hate him who reproves ^xin the gate,

and they ^yabhor him who speaks the truth.

¹¹Therefore because you ^ztrample on² the poor

and you exact taxes of grain from him,

^ayou have built houses of hewn stone,

but you shall not dwell in them;

^ayou have planted pleasant vineyards,

but you shall not drink their wine.

¹²For I know how many are your transgressions

and how great are your sins—

you who afflict the righteous, who ^btake a bribe,

and ^cturn aside the needy ^xin the gate.

¹³Therefore he who is prudent will ^dkeep silent in such a time,

^efor it is an evil time.

^14fSeek good, and not evil,

that you may live;

and so the Lord, ^gthe God of hosts, will be with you,

as you have said.

^15hHate evil, and love good,

and establish justice ^xin the gate;

ⁱit may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,

will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

¹⁶Therefore thus says the Lord, ^gthe God of hosts, the Lord:

“In all the squares ^jthere shall be wailing,

and in all the streets they shall say, ‘Alas! Alas!’

They shall call the farmers to mourning

and ^jto wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,

¹⁷and in all vineyards there shall be wailing,

for ^kI will pass through your midst,”

says the Lord.

Let Justice Roll Down

¹⁸Woe to you who desire ^lthe day of the Lord!

Why would you have the day of the Lord?

^mIt is darkness, and not light,

¹⁹ⁿas if a man fled from a lion,

and a bear met him,

or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,

and a serpent bit him.

^20mIs not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,

and gloom with no brightness in it?

^21o“I hate, I despise your feasts,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

^22pEven though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,

I will not look upon them.

²³Take away from me the noise of your songs;

to ^qthe melody of your harps I will not listen.

²⁴But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.