Amos 5:10–24

¹⁰They have hated a reprover in the gate, And a plain speaker they abominate. ¹¹Therefore, because of your trampling on the poor, And the tribute of corn ye take from him, Houses of hewn work ye have built, And ye do not dwell in them, Desirable vineyards ye have planted, And ye do not drink their wine. ¹²For I have known—many are your transgressions, And mighty your sins, Adversaries of the righteous, taking ransoms, And the needy in the gate ye turned aside. ¹³Therefore is the wise at that time silent, For an evil time it is. ¹⁴Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live, And it is so; Jehovah, God of Hosts, is with you, as ye said. ¹⁵Hate evil, and love good, And set up judgment in the gate, It may be Jehovah, God of Hosts, doth pity the remnant of Joseph.

¹⁶Therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Hosts, the Lord, In all broad places is lamentation, And in all out-places they say, ‘Alas, alas,’ And called the husbandman to mourning, And to lamentation the skilful of wailing. ¹⁷And in all vineyards is lamentation, For I pass into thy midst, said Jehovah. ¹⁸Ho, ye who are desiring the day of Jehovah, Why is this to you—the day of Jehovah? It is darkness, and not light, ¹⁹As when one fleeth from the face of the lion, And the bear hath met him, And he hath come in to the house, And hath leant his hand on the wall, And the serpent hath bitten him. ²⁰Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light, Even thick darkness that hath no brightness?

²¹I have hated—I have loathed your festivals, And I am not refreshed by your restraints. ²²For though ye cause burnt-offerings and your presents to ascend to Me, I am not pleased, And the peace-offering of your fatlings I behold not. ²³Turn aside from Me the noise of thy songs, Yea, the praise of thy psaltery I hear not. ²⁴And roll on as waters doth judgment, And righteousness as a perennial stream.