Amos 5

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Hear this word which I utter over you, a lament, O house of Israel:	1 Hear this word which I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel:
2 She is fallen, to rise no more, the virgin Israel; She lies abandoned upon her land, with no one to raise her up.	2 "Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Israel; forsaken on her land, with none to raise her up."
3 For thus says the Lord GOD: The city that marched out with a thousand shall be left without a hundred, Another that marched out with a hundred shall be left with ten, of the house of Israel.	3 For thus says the Lord GOD: "The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel."
4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: Seek me, that you may live,	4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live;
5 but do not seek Bethel; Do not come to Gilgal, and do not cross to Beer-sheba. For Gilgal shall be led into exile, and Bethel shall become nought.	5 but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nought."
6 Seek the LORD, that you may live, lest he come upon the house of Joseph like a fire That shall consume, with none to quench it for the house of Israel:	6 Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel,
7 Woe to those who turn judgment to wormwood and cast justice to the ground!	7 O you who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth!
8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn, and darkens day into night; Who summons the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth;	8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name,
9 Who flashes destruction upon the strong, and brings ruin upon the fortress; whose name is LORD.	9 who makes destruction flash forth against the strong, so that destruction comes upon the fortress.
10 They hate him who reproves at the gate and abhor him who speaks the truth.	10 They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore, because you have trampled upon the weak and exacted of them levies of grain, Though you have built houses of hewn stone, you shall not live in them! Though you have planted choice vineyards, you shall not drink their wine!	11 Therefore 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.
12 Yes, I know how many are your crimes, how grievous your sins: Oppressing the just, accepting bribes, repelling the needy at the gate!	12 For 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.
13 Therefore the prudent man is silent at this time, for it is an evil time.	13 Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim!	14 Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said.
15 Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate; Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.	15 Hate 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.
16 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: In every square there shall be lamentation, and in every street they shall cry, Alas! Alas! They shall summon the farmers to wail and professional mourners to lament,	16 Therefore 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,
17 And in every vineyard there shall be lamentation when I pass through your midst, says the LORD.	17 and in all vineyards there shall be wailing, for I will pass through the midst of you," says the LORD.
18 Woe to those who yearn for the day of the LORD! What will this day of the LORD mean for you? Darkness and not light!	18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light;
19 As if a man went to flee from a lion, and a bear should meet him; Or as if on entering his house he were to rest his hand against the wall, and a snake should bite him.	19 as 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.
20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness and not light, gloom without any brightness?	20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?
21 I hate, I spurn your feasts, I take no pleasure in your solemnities;	21 "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Your cereal offerings I will not accept, nor consider your stall-fed peace offerings.	22 Even 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.
23 Away with your noisy songs! I will not listen to the melodies of your harps. But if you would offer me holocausts,	23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 then let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.	24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?	25 "Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
26 You will carry away Sakkuth, your king, and Kaiwan, your star god, the images that you have made for yourselves;	26 You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves;
27 For I will exile you beyond Damascus, say I, the LORD, the God of hosts by name.	27 therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.