16 Therefore this is what the Lord God of armies, the Lord says:

“There is (A)mourning in all the public squares,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Oh no! Oh no!’
They also call the (B)farmer to mourning
And [a](C)professional mourners to mourning rites.
17 And in all the (D)vineyards there is mourning,
Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord.

18 Woe to you who are longing for the (E)day of the Lord,
For what [b]purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be (F)darkness and not light;
19 As when a man (G)flees from a lion
And a bear confronts him,
[c]Or he goes home, leans with his hand against the wall,
And a snake bites him.
20 Will the day of the Lord not be (H)darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it?

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 5:16 Lit those who know mourning
  2. Amos 5:18 Lit will this be to you, the day
  3. Amos 5:19 Or Then

16 Therefore, thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, my Lord, “In all of the public squares there will be wailing, and in all of the streets they will say, ‘Alas, alas, alas!’ They shall call the farmers to mourning and to wailing, to those who are skilled in lamentation. 17 And in all of the vineyards there will be wailing, because I will pass in your midst,” says Yahweh.

The Day of Yahweh

18 Alas, those who desire the day of Yahweh, why is this for you the day of Yahweh? It will be darkness and not light! 19 It will be as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him; or he went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall and a snake bit him. 20 Is not the day of Yahweh darkness and not light, and pitch dark with no brightness in it?

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