Amos 5:10–24

¹⁰They hate him who reproves in the gate,

and they abhor him who speaks the truth.

¹¹Therefore because you trample upon the poor

and take from him exactions of wheat,

you have built houses of hewn stone,

but you shall not dwell 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 turn aside the needy in the gate.

¹³Therefore he who is 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,

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 to wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,

¹⁷and in all vineyards there shall be wailing,

for I will pass through the midst of you,”

says the Lord.

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

Why would you have the day of the Lord?

It is darkness, and not light;

¹⁹as if a man fled from a lion,

and a bear met him;

or went into the house

and leaned with his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.

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

and gloom with no brightness in it?

²¹“I hate, I despise your feasts,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

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

I will not accept them,

and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts

I will not look upon.

²³Take away from me the noise of your songs;

to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

²⁴But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.