Amos 5 - Easy To Read Version

¹ People of Israel, listen to this song. This funeral song is about you.

² The virgin {\cf2\super [58]} of Israel has fallen.\par She will not get up any more.\par She was left alone, lying in the dirt.\par There is no person to lift her up.\par

³ The Lord my Master says these things:

⁴ The Lord says this to the nation {\cf2\super [59]} of Israel:\par “Come looking for me and live.\par

⁵ But don’t look in Bethel. {\cf2\super [60]} \par Don’t go to Gilgal. {\cf2\super [61]} \par Don’t cross the border\par and go down to Beersheba. {\cf2\super [62]} \par The people of Gilgal will be taken away\par as prisoners. {\cf2\super [63]} \par And Bethel will be destroyed. {\cf2\super [64]} \par

^6-9 Go to the Lord, and live.\par If you don’t go to the Lord,\par then a fire will start at Joseph’s house. {\cf2\super [65]} \par That fire will destroy Joseph’s house,\par and no person will be able to stop\par that fire at Bethel.\par

¹⁰ \{Prophets\} go to the public places\par and speak against \{the bad things\par that people are doing\}.\par And the people hate \{those prophets\}.\par \{The prophets\} teach good, simple truths.\par And the people hate those \{prophets\}.\par

¹¹ You take unfair taxes {\cf2\super [69]} from poor people.\par You take loads of wheat from them.\par You build fancy houses with cut stone.\par But you will not live in those houses.\par You plant beautiful fields of grapes.\par But you will not drink the wine from them.\par

¹² Why? Because I know about your many sins.\par You have done some really bad things:\par You hurt people that do right.\par You accept money to do wrong.\par You keep justice from the poor people in court.\par

¹³ At that time, wise teachers will be quiet.\par Why? Because it is a bad time.\par

¹⁴ You say \{that God is with you\}.\par So you should do good things, not evil.\par Then you will live.\par And the Lord God All-Powerful\par really will be with you.\par

¹⁵ Hate evil and love goodness.\par Bring fairness back into the courts.\par Maybe then the Lord God All-Powerful\par will be kind to the survivors {\cf2\super [70]} \par from Joseph’s family.\par

¹⁶ My Master, God All-Powerful, says,\par “People will be crying in the public places.\par People will be crying in the streets.\par People will hire the professional criers. {\cf2\super [71]} \par

¹⁷ People will be crying in the fields of grapes.\par Why? Because I will pass through\par \{and punish\} you.”\par The Lord said those things.\par

¹⁸ Some of you want \{to see\}\par the Lord’s special day \{of judgment\}.\par Why do you want \{to see\} that day?\par The Lord’s special day will bring darkness\par not light!\par

¹⁹ You will be like a man\par that escapes a lion\par only to be attacked by a bear!\par You will be like a man\par that goes into the safety of his house,\par leans against the wall,\par and is bitten by a snake!\par

²⁰ The Lord’s special day will be\par \{a day of sadness, not joy\}\par a day of darkness, not light,\par a day of gloom, without a glimmer of light.\par

²¹ “I hate your holidays!\par I will not accept them!\par I don’t enjoy your religious meetings!\par

²² Even if you offer me burnt offerings\par and grain offerings,\par I will not accept them!\par I will not even look at the fat animals\par you give as fellowship offerings.\par

²³ Take your noisy songs away from here.\par I will not listen to the music\par from your harps.\par

²⁴ You should let fairness flow like water\par \{through your country\}.\par Let goodness flow like a stream\par that never becomes dry.\par

²⁵ Israel, you offered me sacrifices\par and offerings in the desert for 40 years. {\cf2\super [72]} \par

²⁶ But you also carried statues\par of Sakkuth, your king, and Kaiwan. {\cf2\super [73]} \par And you made yourselves\par that star for your god! {\cf2\super [74]} \par

²⁷ So I will cause you to be taken captive beyond Damascus.”\par The Lord says those things.\par His name is God All-Powerful.\par