Amos 6
Woe to the complacent in Zion and the overconfident in Samaria — they lie on beds of ivory, feast on lambs and calves, sing idle songs, and drink wine by the bowlful, yet they grieve not over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore they will go into captivity first among the captives, and the revelry of the loungers will cease.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! | Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and who trust in the mountain of Samaria — those who are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes! |
| 2 | Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? | Pass over to Calneh and see, and from there go to Hamath the great. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms? Is their border greater than your border? |
| 3 | Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; | You who put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; |
| 4 | That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; | who lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches; who eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; |
| 5 | That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; | who chant to the sound of the viol, and invent for themselves instruments of musick, like David; |
| 6 | That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. | who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments — but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. |
| 7 | Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. | Therefore they will now go captive with the first who go captive, and the banquet of those who stretched themselves will be removed. |
| 8 | The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein. | The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, says the LORD the God of hosts: "I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces. Therefore I will deliver up the city and all that is in it." |
| 9 | And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die. | And it will come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they will die. |
| 10 | And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD. | And a man's uncle will take him up, and the one who burns him, to bring the bones out of the house. He will say to the one in the inner part of the house, "Is there yet any with You?" and He will say, "No." Then He will say, "Hold Your tongue, for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD." |
| 11 | For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. | For the LORD commands, and He will strike the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. |
| 12 | Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: | Will horses run on the rock? Will one plow there with oxen? Yet You have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock — |
| 13 | Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? | you who rejoice in a thing of nothing, who say, "Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?" |
| 14 | But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness. | "For I will raise up against You a nation, house of Israel," says the LORD the God of hosts, "and they will afflict You from the entrance of Hamath to the river of the wilderness." |