Amos 6

1 Alas for the careless in Zion, and for them who put confidence in the mountain of Samaria, —the distinguished among the first group of nations, to whom came in the house of Israel.

Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and to them that are secure in the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!

2 Pass ye over to Calneh, and see, and go on from thence to Hamath the great, —and go down to Gath of the Philistines, are they better than these kingdoms? or their boundary larger than your boundary?

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 is their border greater than your border?

3 Ye who are putting far away the day of calamity, —but bringing near the abode of violence:

Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

4 Who are lying on beds of ivory, and sprawling on their couch of pleasure, —and eating the well-fed of the flock, and the fatted calves out of the midst of the stalls:

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;

5 Who are bawling at the bidding of the harp, —like David, have they invented for themselves instruments of song:

that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that devise for themselves instruments of music, like David;

6 Who are quaffing bowls of wine, and, with the best of oils, anointing themselves, —and are not afflicted for the injury of Joseph: —

that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

7 Therefore, at once, shall they go into exile among the first of the exiles, —so shall be disturbed the revelry of sprawlers.

Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away.

8 Sworn hath the Lord, Yahweh, by his own life, Declareth Yahweh, God of hosts, abhorring am I, the grandeur of Jacob, and, his palaces, I hate, —therefore will I cast off the city and the fulness thereof.

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.

9 And it shall come to pass, though there be left remaining ten men in one house, yet shall they die;

And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

10 And a man’s near of kin, even he who is about to burn the bones, shall carry him out of the house, when he shall say to him that is in the hinder parts of the house—Are there yet any with thee? and he shall say—No one. Then shall he say—Hush! for we must not invoke the name of Yahweh.

And when a man’s uncle shall take him up, even he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is in the innermost parts of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No; then shall he say, Hold thy peace; for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD.

11 For lo! Yahweh, is giving command, and will smite the great house into ruins, —and the little house with clefts.

For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and the great house shall be smitten with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

12 Shall horses run upon crag? or will a man plough [there] with oxen? For ye have turned to poison the sentence of justice, and the fruit of righteousness, to wormwood:

Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow [there] with oxen? that ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood:

13 Who rejoice in a thing of nought, —who say, Have we not by our own strength, taken to ourselves horns?

ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

14 For behold me! raising up against you, O house of Israel, Declareth Yahweh, the God of hosts—a nation! And they shall crush you, from the entering in of Hamath, unto the torrent-bed of the waste plain.

For, 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 Hamath unto the brook of the Arabah.