Amos 6:5–6

5 You strum away on your harps like David

and improvise on musical instruments.

6 You drink wine by the bowlful

and use the finest lotions,

but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

5 That chant to the sound of the viol,

And invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;

6 That drink wine in bowls,

And anoint themselves with the chief ointments:

But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

5 You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp

and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.

6 You drink wine by the bowlful

and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions.

You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.

5 Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments,

And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;

6 Who drink wine from bowls,

And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,

But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

5 You make up songs on your harps,

and, like David, you compose songs on musical instruments.

6 You drink wine by the bowlful

and use the best perfumed lotions.

But you are not sad over the ruin of Israel,

5 that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David; 6 that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

5 that chant to the sound of the lute, and invent them instruments of music, like David; 6 that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but are not grieved for the breach of Joseph.

5 How horrible it will be for those who make up songs as they strum a harp. 

Like David, they write all kinds of songs for themselves. 

6 How horrible it will be for those who drink wine by the jugful. 

They rub the finest oils all over themselves 

and are not sorry for the ruin ⸤of the descendants⸥ of Joseph. 

5 They improvise songs to the sound of the harp

and invent their own musical instruments like David.

6 They drink wine by the bowlful

and anoint themselves with the finest oils

but do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp

and like David improvise on instruments of music,

6 who drink wine from bowls

and anoint themselves with the finest oils

but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

5 Alas for those who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music. 6 Alas for those who drink from sprinkling bowls of wine and anoint themselves with the best of olive oils and are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.

5 You pluck away on your harps as David did.

You play new songs on musical instruments.

6 You drink wine by the bowlful.

You use the finest lotions.

But Joseph’s people will soon be destroyed.

And you aren’t even sad about it.

5 Who improvise to the sound of the harp,

And like David have composed songs for themselves,

6 Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls

While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils,

Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.