18 (A)Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
For what good is (B)the day of the Lord to you?
It will be darkness, and not light.
19 It will be (C)as though a man fled from a lion,
And a bear met him!
Or as though he went into the house,
Leaned his hand on the wall,
And a serpent bit him!
20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light?
Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?

21 “I(D) hate, I despise your feast days,
And (E)I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
22 (F)Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
24 (G)But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.

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The Day of the Lord

18 Woe to you who long
    for the day of the Lord!(A)
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?(B)
    That day will be darkness,(C) not light.(D)
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
    only to meet a bear,(E)
as though he entered his house
    and rested his hand on the wall
    only to have a snake bite him.(F)
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness,(G) not light—
    pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?(H)

21 “I hate,(I) I despise your religious festivals;(J)
    your assemblies(K) are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings(L) and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.(M)
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.(N)
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.(O)
24 But let justice(P) roll on like a river,
    righteousness(Q) like a never-failing stream!(R)

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