Amos 5:21–25

“I hate, I despise your feasts,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

Even 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.

Take away from me the noise of your songs;

to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;

your assemblies are a stench to me.

Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them.

Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,

I will have no regard for them.

Away with the noise of your songs!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

But let justice roll on like a river,

righteousness like a never-failing stream!

“Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings

forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?

I hate, I despise, your feasts!

I can’t stand the stench

of your solemn assemblies.

Even if you offer me

your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

I will have no regard

for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.

Take away from me the noise of your songs!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

But let justice flow like water,

and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.

“House of Israel, was it sacrifices and grain offerings that you presented to me during the forty years in the wilderness?

“I hate all your show and pretense—

the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.

I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.

I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.

Away with your noisy hymns of praise!

I will not listen to the music of your harps.

Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,

an endless river of righteous living.

“Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, Israel?

“I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your assemblies. Yes, even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them, and I will not look at the fellowship offerings of your fattened animals. Remove from me the noise of your songs, and I do not want to hear the melody of your harps! But let justice roll on like the water, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings those forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?

I hate, I despise your feast days,

And I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them:

Neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs;

For I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

But let judgment run down as waters,

And righteousness as a mighty stream.

Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?