Amos 5:10–24

¹⁰They hate the one who reproves in the gate,

and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.^*

¹¹Therefore because you trample on the poor

and take from them levies of grain,

you have built houses of hewn stone,

but you shall not live in them;

you 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 take a bribe

and push aside the needy in the gate.^*

¹³Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time,

for it is an evil time.

¹⁴Seek good and not evil,

that you may live,

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

just as you have said.^*

¹⁵Hate evil and love good,

and establish justice in the gate;

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

will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.^*

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

In all the squares there shall be wailing,

and in all the streets they shall say, “Alas! Alas!”

They shall call the farmers to mourning

and those skilled in lamentation to wailing;^*

¹⁷in all the vineyards there shall be wailing,

for I will pass through the midst of you,

says the Lord.^*

The Day of the Lord a Dark Day

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

Why do you want the day of the Lord?

It is darkness, not light,^*

¹⁹as if someone fled from a lion

and was met by a bear

or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall

and was bitten by a snake.^*

²⁰Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light,

and gloom with no brightness in it?^*

²¹I hate, I despise your festivals,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.^*

²²Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them,

and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals

I will not look upon.^*

²³Take away from me the noise of your songs;

I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

²⁴But let justice roll down like water

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.^*