Amos 5:16-20
New King James Version
The Day of the Lord
16 Therefore the Lord God of hosts, the Lord, says this:
“There shall be wailing in all streets,
And they shall say in all the highways,
‘Alas! Alas!’
They shall call the farmer to mourning,
(A)And skillful lamenters to wailing.
17 In all vineyards there shall be wailing,
For (B)I will pass through you,”
Says the Lord.
18 (C)Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
For what good is (D)the day of the Lord to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
19 It will be (E)as though a man fled from a lion,
And a bear met him!
Or as though he went into the house,
Leaned his hand on the wall,
And a serpent bit him!
20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light?
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?
Amos 5:16-20
English Standard Version
16 Therefore thus says the Lord, (A)the God of hosts, the Lord:
“In all the squares (B)there shall be wailing,
and in all the streets they shall say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
They shall call the farmers to mourning
and (C)to wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,
17 and in all vineyards there shall be wailing,
for (D)I will pass through your midst,”
says the Lord.
Let Justice Roll Down
18 Woe to you who desire (E)the day of the Lord!
Why would you have the day of the Lord?
(F)It is darkness, and not light,
19 (G)as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
20 (H)Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?
Amos 5:16-20
Complete Jewish Bible
16 Therefore thus says Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot, Adonai:
“In all public squares there will be lamentation,
in all the streets they will cry, ‘Oh, no!’
They will summon farmers to mourn
and professional mourners to wail.
17 There will be wailing in every vineyard,
for I will pass through among you,” says Adonai.
18 Woe to you who want the Day of Adonai!
Why do you want it, this Day of Adonai?
It is darkness, not light;
19 as if someone were to run from a lion,
just to be met by a bear;
as if he entered a house, put his hand on the wall,
just to be bitten by a snake.
20 Won’t the Day of Adonai be darkness, not light,
completely dark, with no brightness at all?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.