Amos 5:16-20
Legacy Standard Bible
16 Therefore thus says Yahweh God of hosts, the Lord,
“There is (A)wailing in all the plazas,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
They also call the (B)farmer to mourning
And [a](C)professional weepers to wailing.
17 And in all the (D)vineyards there is wailing
Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says Yahweh.
18 Woe, you who are longing for the (E)day of Yahweh,
For what purpose will the day of Yahweh be to you?
It will be (F)darkness and not light;
19 As when a man (G)flees from a lion
And a bear meets him;
[b]Or he goes home, leans his hand against the wall,
And a snake bites him.
20 Will not the day of Yahweh be (H)darkness instead of light,
Even thick darkness with no brightness in it?
Amos 5:16-20
Common English Bible
Divine wrath anticipated
16 Truly, the Lord proclaims,
the God of heavenly forces, the Lord:
Crying will be heard in all the squares.
In all the streets they will say, “Oh no! Oh no!”
They will call upon the farmers to wail,
and those skilled in mourning to lament.
17 In all the vineyards there will be bitter crying because
I will pass through your midst,
says the Lord.
A statement of divine disgust
18 Doom to those who desire the day of the Lord!
Why do you want the day of the Lord?
It is darkness, not light;
19 as if someone fled from a lion,
and was met by a bear;
or sought refuge in a house,
rested a hand against the wall,
and was bitten by a snake.
20 Isn’t the day of the Lord darkness, not light;
all dark with no brightness in it?
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