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 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 all vineyards there shall be wailing,
    for I will pass through the midst of you,”
                says the Lord.

The Day of the Lord a Dark Day

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 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 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
    and gloom with no brightness in it?

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