Amos 3

1 Hear ye this word, which Yahweh hath spoken, concerning you, ye sons of Israel, —concerning the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt saying: —

Hear this word that Yahweh has spoken against you, people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

2 Only you, have I acknowledged, of all the families of the ground, For this cause, will I visit upon you all your iniquities.

“I have chosen only you from all the families of the earth. Therefore I will punish you for all your sins.”

3 Can two walk together, —except they meet?

Will two walk together unless they have agreed?

4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when, prey, he hath none? Will a young lion utter his voice out of his den, when he hath made no capture?

Will a lion roar in the forest when he has no victim? Will a young lion growl from his den if he has caught nothing?

5 Will a bird fall upon a net to the earth, when there is no, snare, for it? Will a net rise from the ground, when it hath, captured nothing?

Can a bird fall in a trap on the ground when no bait is set for him? Will a trap spring up from the ground when it has not caught anything?

6 Or a horn be blown in a city, and, a people, not tremble? Or calamity happen in a city, and, Yahweh, not have wrought with effect?

If a trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not tremble? If disaster overtakes a city, has Yahweh not sent it?

7 Surely My Lord Yahweh, will do, nothing, —except he have disclosed his secret unto his servants, the prophets!

Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing unless he reveals his plan to his servants the prophets.

8 A lion, hath roared, Who will not fear? My Lord Yahweh, hath spoken, Who can forbear to prophesy?

The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord Yahweh has spoken; who will not prophesy?

9 Announce it over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, —and say ye—Gather yourselves together upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold ye—the great disorders in the midst thereof, and the oppressed within her.

Proclaim this in the fortresses at Ashdod, and in the fortresses in the land of Egypt; say, “Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria and see what great confusion is in her, and what oppression is in her.

10 Therefore do they not know how to do right, Declareth Yahweh, who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.

For they do not know how to do right —this is Yahweh's declaration— They store up violence and destruction in their fortresses.”

11 Therefore—Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, An adversary! Yea round about the land, —and he who shall bring down, from thee, thy strength, And spoiled shall be thy palaces.

Therefore, this is what the Lord Yahweh says: “An enemy will surround the land, and pull down your strongholds and plunder your fortresses.”

12 Thus, saith Yahweh, Just as a shepherd rescueth, out of the mouth of the lion, a couple of shankbones, or the tip of an ear, so, shall be rescued the sons of Israel, who are tarrying in Samaria, in the corner of the divan, and on the damask of the luxurious couch.

This is what Yahweh says: “As the shepherd rescues out of the mouth of the lion two legs only, or a piece of an ear; so will the people of Israel who live in Samaria be rescued; they will be left with only the corner of a couch or a piece of a bed.”

13 Hear ye and bear witness, throughout the house of Jacob, —Commandeth My Lord, Yahweh, God of hosts:

Hear and testify against the house of Jacob —this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh, the God of hosts:

14 That, in the day I visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, then will I punish, concerning the altars of Bethel, So shall the horns of the altar, be broken off, and they shall fall to the ground;

“For in the day that I punish the sins of Israel, I will also punish the altars of Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground.

15 And I will smite the winter house along with the summer house, —and the houses of ivory, shall be destroyed! and the great houses, shall disappear, Declareth Yahweh.

I will destroy the winter house with the summer house. The houses of ivory will perish, and the large houses will vanish, —this is Yahweh's declaration.”