Amos 5:18-27

Common English Bible

A statement of divine disgust

¹⁸Doom 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.
²⁰Isn’t the day of the Lord darkness, not light;
        all dark with no brightness in it?

²¹I hate, I reject your festivals;
    I don’t enjoy your joyous assemblies.
²²If you bring me your entirely burned offerings and gifts of food—
        I won’t be pleased;
    I won’t even look at your offerings of well-fed animals.
²³Take away the noise of your songs;
        I won’t listen to the melody of your harps.
²⁴But let justice roll down like waters,
        and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
²⁵Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
        during the forty years in the wilderness, house of Israel?
²⁶You will take up Sakkuth your king,
        and Kaiwan your star-god,
            your images, which you made for yourselves.
²⁷Therefore, I will take you away
        beyond Damascus, says the Lord,
            whose name is the God of heavenly forces.